No One Said It Would Be Easy
by Doc95
Summary: Post-Mockingjay. It's been fifteen years since Katniss and Peeta got married and now they're ready to start their family. Follow the two beloved characters as they go through the trials and tribulations of starting a family.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Katniss Mellark's POV

It's been fifteen years. Fifteen years since the rebellion. Fifteen years since I became the mockingjay. Fifteen years, to the day, that Peeta and I officially became husband and wife.

The bright sunlight shining through the curtains irritates my eyes and I squinted against it. Once my eyes have adjusted to the light, they flutter open. Peeta's arm is around my body protectively. I can feel his hot breath on my neck. It sends shivers down my spine.

I manage to turn around without removing Peeta's arm from around my waist. I watch him as he sleeps. His face is relaxed, his blonde hair messy from sleep. I run the back of my hand lightly across his cheek and can't help but smile. Peeta smiles, too, enjoying my touch. His eyes flutter open and he smiles back at me.

"Good morning, beautiful." He says, pulling me closer to him and kisses me gently on the lips. The touch of his lips against mine set my whole body on fire. I moan and tangle my fingers in his hair. Peeta shifts us so he is hovering above me, his lips still attached to mine.

Peeta's kisses move to my neck and my moans increase. He always knows exactly what drives me crazy. He sucks on the spot where my neck meets my shoulder and my hips buck up. Peeta begins removing our clothes, kissing down my body as he goes. Once our clothes are removed, Peeta makes love to me on the anniversary of the day we were joined as man and wife.

I am sitting at the table and reading the _Panem Gazette_, the weekly newspaper that is delivered to each district telling the citizens of Panem everything they would ever need to know about what's happening this week in all of Panem. Its fall, harvest season, and some of the districts are hard at work harvesting all the crops.

"Good morning, again," Peeta says, placing a plate of breakfast pastries in front of me. Peeta took over his family's bakery after we settled down in District 12. It's no surprise that I've gained at least ten pounds since we got married.

Peeta sits across from me and takes a bite of the raspberry strudel he made just this morning. As he bites into it, the crust of the pastry flakes and Peeta ends up with the front of his shirt full of it. I unsuccessfully attempt to hide my amusement.

"What's so funny?" Peeta asks me, barely suppressing his own laughter.

"Oh, it's nothing." I tell him, dismissing the matter with a wave of my hand.

"It must be something if it made you laugh," Peeta insists.

"Scales are all the rage in the Capitol. Everyone's wearing them. And, I must say, they all look rather amusing." I tell him.

"Is that the truth?" Peeta inquires.

"It is," I tell him and, after just a few seconds of silence, we both break out into a fit of laughter.

Once we stop laughing and clean up the kitchen, we get dressed and head out into the breezy fall day. I've come to learn that fall is Peeta's favorite time of year. He really loves the colors on the trees and break from the constant heat and the new array of spices that are available for him. Peeta makes a wonderful pumpkin pie and it's always between the months of September and January that I gain the most of the weight that I work so hard to shed during the warmer months.

As Peeta and I walk through our District, we are greeted by an array of faces. District 12 has bounced back amazingly after the assault by the Capitol forces. Many people from District 13 moved here, along with smaller numbers from other Districts.

District 12's major product is still coal, but now we've started a fur and meat market. It's surprising how much money the people in the Capitol will spend on furs. District 12 isn't the only district that's undergone major changes. All the districts have undergone changes, but the Capitol is where most of the changes are evident.

Since the rebellion, Panem has become a democracy. Each district gets two representatives on the Council of Peace, the new governing body that was formed as a result of the rebellion. After I shot President Coin, President Snow was sentenced to life in prison, where he died five years ago. The Hunger Games became a thing of the past and parents would never again have to fear watching their child be killed in the vicious form of the Capitol's punishment and entertainment.

All the people of District 12 had wanted Peeta and me to be on the Council of Peace, but we decided that it was best for us to stay in 12. The people understood our decision and elected a competent man and woman to represent our district in the Capitol. It had also been brought to my attention that Gale was serving on the Council of Peace for District 2.

Peeta and I arrive at our destination: the meadow. The same meadow that used to have a chain fence running through it that separated District 12 from the woods. The same meadow that was the start to all those days spent hunting with Gale.

Peeta and I stroll through the woods together, Peeta clumping loudly as ever. I don't usually like taking Peeta with me when I go out hunting because he's so loud, but today is a special day for us and I want to spend as much time with him as I can. As we moved through the woods, the trees becoming denser and denser, Peeta picks berries from surrounding bushes.

Two hours and half a dozen beavers later, Peeta and I were sitting beneath a huge maple tree. Peeta was leaning against the trunk of the maple and I was leaning against his chest. The berries Peeta had picked were perfectly ripe and were like little explosions of sweetness in my mouth.

Peeta started kissing the right side of my neck, lightly grazing the skin with his teeth. I moaned lightly, closing my eyes to relish in the feeling of his lips against my skin. I quickly turn myself around and smash my lips against Peeta's. He kisses me back with just as much passion, slipping his tongue into my mouth. As Peeta's tongue explores my mouth, I trace the contours of Peeta's pecks and abs with my fingers.

Soon I grow impatient with Peeta's teasing and begin tugging on his shirt, signifying that I wanted it off. Peeta takes the hint and breaks the kiss momentarily to remove both our shirts. Peeta kisses me again, tangling his fingers in my dark brown hair. I eagerly kiss him back, pushing my body up against his. I hear a growl that I assume has come from Peeta, but Peeta's assault on my lips has stopped.

"Did you hear that?" He asks, looking around us for the source of the noise.

"I thought it was you," I tell him, pulling myself from his grasp. I search the trees, but can't find the source of the noise.

"KATNISS," Peeta yells, pointing at something behind me.

I swing around and am met with a huge, fierce-looking mountain lion. Its teeth are bared and his back and leg muscles are hunched up. He's ready to pounce. Just as his front feet leave the ground, I grab my bow and arrow in a flash of movement. Before I have a chance to think about it, I've shot two arrows at the beast. The first misses, whizzing over the beast's head. The second hits it in the left front leg and it screeches in pain. Its progress is slowed, but it's still coming towards us quickly. I shoot another arrow and this one hits home, striking the beast right in the heart.

I breathe a sigh of relief and turn to Peeta. He looks as if he's been paralyzed with fear. His pupils are dilated and his breathing is rapid and shallow. I walk over to him and, after dropping my bow and arrow to the ground, sit beside him. I stroke his face as he comes down from his fear.

"That was . . ." Peeta begins.

"I know, but it's over now. I wonder how much a mountain lion will get us in the Hob." I say, trying to break the tension. Peeta laughs and together we distribute the load of today's kills and head back towards District 12.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Katniss' POV

_*Four weeks later*_

I jolted out of bed, the taste of my own vomit against my tongue. I got to the toilet just in time to puke my guts out. Peeta was quickly by my side, holding my hair out of the way.

"Katniss, this is the third time this week that you've thrown up. This isn't normal. I think you need to go see a doctor." Peeta says, rubbing my back soothingly.

"No. I'm not going to the doctor." I tell him, grabbing the side of the bathroom counter and pulling myself up.

"Katniss, I know doctors remind you of Prim and I understand that it hurts. But you need to see a doctor." Peeta replies, his hands resting on the sides of my arms and his eyes pleading for my agreement.

"Fine," I tell him.

Two hours later, Peeta and I are sitting in the waiting room of the new hospital in District 12. When we rebuilt the District, we built a hospital with actual doctors that came from District 1. We also built new elementary, middle, and high schools, a market in the middle of the district, and set up and enforced new mining safety rules and regulations. In the past fifteen years, we've lost less people in mining accidents than in the last hundred years.

"Katniss Mellark!" A nurse in light purple scrubs calls from the doorway. Peeta and I get up and follow her back to one of the exam rooms.

"Just have a seat and Dr. Monroe will be with you in just a moment." The nurse says before leaving the exam room. Peeta and I sat awkwardly in silence for a few minutes before the doctor finally came in.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Sydney Monroe. What seems to be the problem today, Mrs. Mellark?" Dr. Monroe asked.

"I've been throwing up a lot this week." I tell her quietly, a dull ache forming in my head from who knows what.

"Is there anything you've eaten lately that could've caused the vomiting?" She asks and I shake my head.

"Is there a specific time when you throw up?" She inquires.

"It wakes me up early in the morning." I tell her.

"Okay. Well, I think we'll get a blood sample just to make sure everything is okay." She says, writing down orders on my chart. The nurse came and drew my blood and, once again, Peeta and I sat in an awkward silence.

"Well, I have good news for you both." Dr. Monroe said as she came back into the exam room.

"What's the good news?" I ask.

"You're pregnant, Mrs. Mellark." Dr. Monroe said, smiling at me brightly. I, on the other hand, felt like I had just been hit by a train. Pregnant! I couldn't be pregnant! There was no way I was ready to be a mother! This wasn't the right time! No!

"We're going to have a baby?" I heard Peeta ask in disbelief as I'm ranting off in my head about how this is all wrong. Dr. Monroe must have nodded because Peeta starts talking to me. "Katniss, can you believe it? We're going to have a baby!"

"Uh-huh," I reply.

"Are you okay? You don't look excited." Peeta says, resting a concerned hand on my shoulder.

"I'm fine," I tell him, before I get up from the exam bed and leave the exam room. I walk out of the hospital and through the town until I reach our house in Victor's Village. I go straight up to mine and Peeta's bedroom, lock the door, and curl into a ball on the bed, and start to cry.

All the things that could possibly go wrong run through my head. What if I have a miscarriage? What if I can't love it? What if it doesn't love me? What if I start resenting Peeta? What if Peeta starts resenting me? What if Peeta and I separate? What if it dies as a child? What if it dies is a mine explosion or at the hands of a bomb? What if the democracy fails and it's reaped into the Hunger Games? I am still sobbing when Peeta knocks at the door and asks to be let in.

"Katniss please let me in, sweetheart." He asks. His voice is full of concern and I can tell that Peeta is trying hard to keep it from cracking. He persists in his efforts, but I refuse to let him in, partly because I am too upset to get up and partly because I am a little bit upset with him. Eventually, he gives up and goes to sleep on the couch.

I must have fallen asleep eventually, because when I open my eyes again the sun is shining through the curtains. There are dried tears around my eyelids. My clothes from the day before are wrinkled and twisted. I sit up and rub the tear residue from my eyes. It's the first morning in a week that I haven't woken up due to the need to throw up the contents of my stomach.

I climb out of bed and go downstairs. I walk through the kitchen and into the living room. Peeta is asleep on the couch and the sight of his large body cramped onto our tiny couch almost makes me cry again because I know I've been unfair to him. I walk over to him and sit down on the floor in front of the couch. I gently run my fingers across his cheek and kiss his lips tenderly. The kiss wakes Peeta up and, next thing I know, he is kissing me back.

"I'm sorry," I tell him, breaking our kiss. Tears threaten to spill out of my eyes and Peeta must notice this because he tries to comfort me.

"Shh, Katniss, everything is going to be okay. I promise." He murmurs to me, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"Peeta, what if something goes wrong?" I ask him, my voice cracking and tears spilling down my cheeks.

"Katniss, I am not going to let anything happen to you or our baby. I love you. You know I love you, right?" Peeta replies.

"I know. I love you, too." I tell him and kiss his lips gently. We spend the rest of the day looking up things about pregnancy and babies. Peeta is so excited and can't wait to start painting the nursery. He's already got ideas for a boy and a girl. I can't help but love watching as Peeta smiles brighter and brighter as he learns more about pregnancy and babies. And I can't help but feel like the luckiest woman on the face of the earth that this man, my Peeta loves me so much and is prepared to go through this journey with me.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Katniss' POV

I wake up the next morning to the scent of cinnamon winding its way up the stairs and into our bedroom. I subconsciously reach for Peeta, but he isn't beside me. I sit up and rub my eyes. Once I am awake enough, I get out of bed and head downstairs.

Peeta is in the kitchen, making delicious breakfast pastries and wearing his "Kiss the Cook" apron. Spread out on the counters in our kitchen is all kinds of breakfast pastries: cinnamon buns, donuts, Danishes, strudels, etc.

"Good morning," I tell him, kissing his cheek lightly.

"You call that a kiss?" He asks, mocking Haymitch in the process. I lean into him and press my lips against his. A fiery passion shoots through me and I know Peeta is feeling the same thing because he growls lowly against my lips. I pull away from him and he smiles at me, his eyes full of love and adoration. He then drops down onto his knees, placing his hands on my stomach, and talking quietly to our baby.

"Hi, little baby. I'm your daddy and I love you very much. I can't wait until I get to meet you." Peeta coos tenderly before pressing a soft kiss to my stomach.

"You are going to make a great father," I tell him, wrapping him into my arms.

"And you're going to make a wonderful mother." He tells me, pressing his forehead against mine.

We eat our breakfast feast together and begin talking about baby stuff. Peeta wants to paint the nursery himself and has already started sketching out some ideas. I want to start a scrap book as soon as possible to capture all the memories of our child's life. I also want to compile a book that has all the details from the 74th and 75th Hunger Games so that, when the time is right, Peeta and I can share with our child what formed us into the people we became.

Peeta and I are in the waiting room of the hospital. Today is our first OB/GYN appointment and we are both excited to see the baby. Peeta is almost vibrating from his excitement.

"Katniss Mellark!" The same nurse that helped us last time we were here calls. Peeta and I get up and follow her back to the exam room. "It's so nice to see you two again. I am so happy for the both of you. Children are a wonderful blessing." The nurse, Millie, says. Peeta and I thank her politely before she leaves the exam room. It isn't long before Dr. Monroe was here for our appointment.

"Good morning," Dr. Monroe begins. "How are you both today?"

"We're good," I reply.

"Well, that's wonderful. Today, we're going to do an ultrasound and, since you are over thirty, I would like to get periodical blood tests done." Dr. Monroe informs us. She draws my blood quickly and sends it down to the lab. "Now, if you will please lie back and lift up your shirt we can get started." She says cheerfully.

I comply, but feel self-conscious about the scars on my stomach. Dr. Monroe squeezes the cool gel onto my stomach and I shiver a bit. Dr. Monroe turns on the ultrasound machine and places the wand onto my stomach. She moves the wand around a bit and smiles when the _whoosh, whoosh _sound of the baby's heart appears. Peeta clutches my hand and I try to hold back my tears of happiness. There is my baby. The baby that I conceived with the man that I love so much it hurts. Peeta kisses my cheek and I can tell from the wetness on his face that he is crying tears of joy. This causes my tears to flow freely now, too.

"Congratulations, you two. It looks like you are about six weeks along. Stop at the front desk on your way out and make another appointment for two weeks from now." Dr. Monroe tells us and then we leave the exam room.

After making our next appointment, Peeta and I decide to go to Haymitch's house. We are hoping that he is sober enough that we can tell him our good news. We arrive at Haymitch's house and enter without bothering to knock.

"Didn't Effie ever teach you that it's bad manners to just waltz into someone's house without knocking first, sweetheart?" Haymitch asks as he appears in his living room.

"Well, one never knows whether or not you're sober enough to answer the door if I do knock." I tell him before plopping down onto his couch. Peeta just chuckles at our banter before sitting down beside me.

"How drunk are you?" I ask Haymitch once he has sat down across from us in an overstuffed are chair.

"No, sweetheart, it's 'Hi, how are you'." Haymitch replies. Peeta chuckles and I elbow him in the ribs.

"I'm serious. Peeta and I have something important to tell you." I say to him.

"Well then go ahead and tell me," He says, sitting from a flask that seems to have appeared out of nowhere.

"I'm pregnant," I tell him casually. Haymitch spits his alcohol across the room in surprise and goes into a coughing fit.

"Are you okay?" I ask him once the coughing has finally stopped.

"You're pregnant? How did this happen?" He exclaims.

"Well, Haymitch, when a man and a woman love each other very muc-" Peeta begins

"Oh, you know that's not what I meant!" He exclaims and Peeta and I go into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

"So, how do you feel about becoming 'Grandpa Haymitch'?" Peeta asks him, taking my hand into his.

"I'm not old enough to be a grandfather!" He says and I snort in disagreement.

"Sixty-five is plenty old enough to be a grandfather." I tell him reassuringly and he glares at me.

"Seriously, Haymitch, what do you think?" I ask him.

"I think you two are going to make the weirdest parents any kid would be lucky to have," He replies in what I hope is a compliment. I laugh before I get up, cross the room, and pull the drunk into a hug.

"Thank you for everything," I tell him. I blame it on the raging hormones coursing through my body, but who really knows what came over me.


	4. Chapter 4

**H****ello, everybody! I am so happy with the great response to this story! Thanks to everyone whoread and reviewed! Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Hunger Games characters, they belong to Suzanne Collins! **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Four<span>

Peeta Mellark's POV

_*Ten days later*_

Ever since Katniss and I discovered that we are going to have a baby, time has been moving way too fast. There's so much we have to do in the next nine months that I have no idea how we're going to get it all done. I've often found myself looking at baby stuff in the catalogs that come in the mail. Everything is so expensive, but, thankfully, Katniss and I don't have to worry about money.

Right now I am sitting down at the kitchen table of mine and Katniss' home in Victor's Village. I am sketching ideas for nurseries for our baby. I hear Katniss' footfalls on the stairs as she descends them.

"Hey," She says as she kisses me on the cheek. A smile instantly appears on my face and I lean back from my artwork.

"I made cinnamon rolls. They should still be warm," I tell her as I watch her movements from the corner of my eye. I love the way she moves. I love the way her hand grazes her stomach subconsciously. I stand up and pull her into my arms as she takes a bite out of one of the soft, gooey, warm cinnamon buns I made earlier this morning.

"What's on the agenda for today?" She asks me, leaning back into my embrace.

"I do believe it is 'Do-whatever-Katniss-wants day'." I tell her, enjoying the feeling of her in my arms.

"We should go to the meadow. It feels like forever since we've been there!" She exclaims, turning around in my arms to give me her puppy dog eyes.

"We can do whatever you to today." I tell her. She smiles and kisses me on the lips. I relish in the feeling of her smooth lips against mine. She pulls away from me and I'm left feeling light-headed and a little tipsy.

A few hours later, Katniss and I are one our way to the meadow. I packed us a nice picnic lunch of sandwiches and fresh fruit. Once we finally get to the meadow, Katniss plops on the ground and just lies in the grass. I sit next to her, enjoying the hot sun against my skin. It's been too long since we just had a peaceful day outside together.

"Peeta, we should go swimming in the lake." Katniss tells me, pulling me close to her.

"Katniss, we didn't bring our bathing suits." I tell her.

"Who cares?" She replies before she starts removing her shorts. I look around the meadow. We are alone besides the woodland creatures that hide within the confines of the trees. I watch as Katniss jumps into the water in her undergarments. I gulp nervously before removing my pants and shirt. I slip into the cool water and am quickly enveloped into Katniss' arms.

"I love you," She tells me, rubbing her nose along my neck.

"I love you, too." I reply, wrapping her into my arms. We swim for a while, working up an appetite. We return to the grass and eat our picnic lunch while the hot sun dries our skin.

After lying together for half an hour, Katniss fell asleep with her head on my chest. I quietly and carefully detangled her from my arms and laid her head gently onto the soft grass. I got up and quietly crossed the meadow to a patch of wildflowers I had noticed earlier. The bright yellows and soft purples of the flowers had caught my eye and I had just been waiting for my chance to pick a few as a spontaneous present for my beloved wife.

I was bent over the patch of wildflowers, trying to decide which ones were the most beautiful, when I heard the scream. Without thinking, I sprinted over to where Katniss lay and knelt down beside her.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" I ask her, panic rising inside me.

"Peeta, my stomach is cramping . . . really bad." She manages to tell me between winces of pain. I look down at her stomach and notice that her pants have blood on them.

"No," I say quietly before I scoop Katniss into my arms and head for the hospital. It's at least a mile and a half to the hospital, but I run all the way. My own fear was the force propelling me forward. Katniss is unconscious before we even reach the edge of the meadow.

When I finally reach the hospital, I burst through the revolving doors and begin screaming for help. A few nurses and a doctor come to my aid. With their help, I get Katniss onto a gurney and they take her away.

I sit in the empty waiting room, my head in my hands, fearing the worst. I don't know a lot about pregnancy and stuff like that, but I do know that there shouldn't have been that much blood. The silence in the room seems to echo off the walls until its almost deafening.

I heard the doors to the ER squeak open and look up to see Dr. Monroe walking towards me. She sits in one of the chairs opposite me. By her silence, I already know what's happened.

"Peeta, I'm afraid that Katniss has had a miscarriage." Even though I already suspected this, I break down anyway. I put my head back in my hands and sob, tears falling down my cheeks like a waterfall. Dr. Monroe pats my shoulder sympathetically, before muttering a few words and leaving me alone. I sob for a long time, my shoulders shaking with every breath I take. Why did this have to happen to us? We've been waiting for so long to start our family. Katniss doesn't deserve this. She's been through so much in such a short amount of time and it's just not fair!

Finally, I compose myself enough to walk back to the room they put Katniss in. She is still unconscious, an IV going into her right arm. I sit down in the chair beside her bed and clasp her hands with mine. The simple touch wakes her up and her beautiful grey eyes flutter open.

"Peeta," She says, her tone overcast with sadness. I can see the tears welling up in her eyes. She's trying to be strong.

"Katniss, you don't have to be strong." I tell her. Those simple words break down the barrier and she begins to sob. Her sounds are heartbreaking to listen to and it kills me each time I watch a tear fall from her eyes. I pull her into my arms and let her sob into my shoulder. I want to tell her that everything is going to be okay. I want to be her rock, but I just don't know if I am strong enough. Soon, my own tears begin to fall again and we sit there, together, sobbing over the loss of our baby.

* * *

><p><strong>Please don't kill me! It's all part of a master plan!<br>**


	5. Chapter 5

**He****llo, everyone! Disclaimer: All Hunger Games Characters belong to Suzanne Collins. Enjoy and don't forget to review!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Five<span>

Peeta Mellark's POV

_*One Week Later*_

It has been a week since Katniss' miscarriage. Katniss locked herself in our bedroom and refuses to leave. I can hear her sobbing when I drop of plates of food outside the bedroom door. It breaks my heart to listen to her cry, but I just don't know how to help her.

I knock on Haymitch's back door, hoping he's sober enough to answer it. I knock again when he doesn't answer after a few minutes. Finally, I get frustrated and barge into the house. It's dark inside and the stench of alcohol is in the air. I stomp through the house, searching for Haymitch. I finally find him half-passed out on his couch. For some reason, this scene makes me snap.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I yell at him. "Do care about anyone but yourself? You are lazy, self-obsessed drunk!" I am seething by the time I'm finished, my body shaking. My outburst pulled Haymitch out of his alcohol haze.

"I'm sorry," I tell him once I calmed down. I pinch the bridge of my nose and sit down in one of the overstuffed chairs.

"Don't worry it, kid. What got you so riled up?" He asks me.

"Katniss had a miscarriage," I tell him, fighting back my tears.

"Hey, I'm sorry. That's terrible." Haymitch says, patting my shoulder.

"Sh-She's depressed now and I don't know how to help her." I tell Haymitch. "She won't come out of the bedroom. She just sobs all day and night and I hear her scream at night like she's having nightmares."

"She won't talk to you?" He asks me.

"No. It's been a week and she hasn't talked to me at all. We got home and she went straight into our bedroom." I tell him.

"Have you considered calling her mom in District 2?" Haymitch asks.

"No. I hadn't even thought of that. Do you think it would help? Katniss doesn't have the greatest relationship with her mother. I can't remember the last time they talked." I reply.

"She's still Katniss' mother and I think that might be the person she needs right now." Haymitch says and I am surprised by his insightfulness.

"That's such a great idea, Haymitch. Could I use your phone?" I ask him.

"If I still had one, you could use it." He replies and I chuckle. Of course Haymitch doesn't have an operating phone. I excuse myself and head back home.

Once home, I find Katniss' mom phone number and dial it. As the phone rings, my heart starts to pound harder and I can feel a lump in my throat. The last time I spoke with Mrs. Everdeen was at mine and Katniss' wedding.

"Hello?" I hear Mrs. Everdeen's voice say on the telephone.

"Ah . . . hi, Mrs. Everdeen," I reply awkwardly.

"Peeta, honey, is that you?" She asks.

"Yeah, it's me." I say.

"How are you, dear?" She asks.

"Um . . . not too great," I say. "Katniss just had a . . . ah, miscarriage." I stammer out and hear Mrs. Everdeen gasp.

"Oh! How is she?" She asks immediately.

"She isn't doing great at all. She's locked herself in our bedroom for the past week and won't come out. I can hear her sobbing all day and then at night she screams like she's having nightmares." I explain.

"Oh, dear, I'll be there as soon as possible. I'll be on the next train to District 12." Mrs. Everdeen replies.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Everdeen. I just don't know what to do. This is all just so. . ." I trail off.

"I understand, honey. I'll be there very soon." She reassures me.

"Thank you. I'll see you soon. Goodbye." I say.

"Goodbye, Peeta."

After my conversation with Katniss' mother, I decided it was time for me to prepare dinner. I had gone to the Hob earlier today and picked up some squirrels. I skinned and gutted the squirrels before chopping them up and frying them in a pan with oil. I also fried up some turnips and onions to go with the squirrels. I removed the squirrel, turnips, and onions from the pan and add flour to the excess juices to make gravy. I filled a plate, added a few slices of bread, and brought it up to Katniss.

"Katniss, honey, I made you dinner." I say softly into the door of our bedroom.

"I'm not hungry," Katniss croaks from the other side of the door.

"Honey, you need to eat. I made squirrel." I tell her, hoping that the thought of her favorite food would entice her to eat. She doesn't respond and I hope that maybe she's considering opening the door and letting me in.

"The door is unlocked," She finally says after a long moment of silence. A huge smile spreads across my face and I quietly open the door.

The room is dark, all the lights off and the curtains drawn. Katniss is under the blankets on the bed, her form just barely noticeable in the lump of bedding. There are a few piles of dirty dishes from previous meals on the floor beside the bed. Tissues covered the bedside tables and most of the floor surrounding the bed. I brush some of the tissues on the bedside onto the floor and set the plate of food onto it.

"Katniss," I say softly, placing a hand on what I think is her shoulder.

"Go away," She tells me from under the blankets. I sigh and lean in closer to her.

"I love you so much. You know that right?" I ask. After a few minutes of silence, I gather all the tissues and dishes and leave the bedroom.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, ****Every****on****e! Disclaimer: Un****fortunately, I do not own Peeta or any of the other Hunger Games characters :'(. Enjoy and review!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Six<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Three Days Later* _

Katniss' mother called me from the train station and I was now on my way to go and pick her up. The train station was only a hundred or so yards from our house in Victors' Village, but I wanted to have some time to talk to Mrs. Everdeen without worrying about Katniss overhearing since she didn't know her mother was coming.

"Hi, Mrs. Everdeen," I say as she pulls me into a hug. "It's so nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you, too, Peeta. And you can call me Sarah. I've told you that before." She replies. I chuckle and we head back to the

"Yesterday she let me into the bedroom and I'm hoping she ate. She went a few days without eating and I was so worried about her." I tell Sarah.

"I couldn't imagine going through this. How are you doing with all this?" Sarah asks me.

"I really don't know. I just want Katniss to be okay, because she's been through so much in her life. I worry about her so much and I love her so much that it hurts to see her in so much pain." I say, on the verge of tears.

"You are such a strong man. You have no idea how happy I am that Katniss has you." Sarah tells me, rubbing my shoulder soothingly. I smile my gratitude back at her and we continue the short walk in silence.

"She's upstairs in the first room on the left. The door's unlocked and she's probably still underneath the blankets." I tell Sarah as we walk through the back door of the house.

"Thank you, honey." She tells me before heading up the stairs.

Katniss' POV

I hear the door squeak open and soft footfalls enter the room. I pull the blankets tighter over me and bury my head deeper into my pillow. I didn't want to face anyone or anything right now.

"Katniss, honey," I hear a familiar, feminine voice say. "It's mom." She says, placing a soothing hand on my back.

"Mommy," I cry and launch myself into my mother's arms. No more words are needed. My mother just lets me sob into her shoulder, unleashing a week's worth of so many emotions: Sadness, anger, heartbreak, fear.

"I know, sweetheart, I know." My mom murmurs to me softly as I cry.

"Why did this happen? What did I do wrong?" I ask through my sobs.

"Oh, sweetheart, you didn't do anything wrong. This is a horrible, horrible thing that happened, but it is no one's fault." She whispers into my ear, stroking my hair.

"I know Peeta wants to help and I know I should let him, but I just don't feel like I'll be able to get over this." I cry.

"Oh, sweetheart, don't worry. It'll be hard, but you'll get through this." She tells me.

"How can you be so sure?" I ask, my voice shaking.

"Because I got through it," She tells me and I have to take a minute to make sure I heard right.

"What?" I ask in confusion.

"A few years before you were born, I was pregnant with another baby. Then, at a round the same time it happened to you now, I lost it. It was tragic and I went into a depression much like the one you're going through now. I wouldn't leave my bed and I wouldn't let your father console me." My mother explains gently, her eyes taking on a far away, glossy look.

"How did you get through it?" I ask.*and it made us stronger." She explains further.

"How could you move on from it?" I ask.

"It was hard and it still is sometimes. Just like losing your sister was hard and will still be, many years from now. But every time I look at you or think of you, I get this sensation of pride. I am so proud of you, Katniss." My mother says and I smile for the first time in over a week. I embrace my mother into a very tight hug and let a few more tears fall.

"I love you," I whisper.

"I love you, too, honey." She replies, hugging me even tighter.

"Mom, can you send Peeta in here?" I ask. I hadn't been treating Peeta like he deserves. His baby died, too.

"Of course I can, honey." She says before she gets up and leaves. I hear Peeta come into the room and then he sits next to me.

"I'm sorry," I mumble to him, facing him for the first time in over a week.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I understand that this is hard on you." He replies, stroking my hair and smiling gently.

"No, it isn't okay. I shouldn't have treated you the way that I treated you. You lost a baby, too. I just don't know how you can function right now." I tell him, stroking his cheek.

"It's hard for me, too, but I think it's worse for you because you're the mother." He says, lying down next to me and pulling me into his arms.

"I just . . . Why did this have to happen to us?" I ask him, on the verge of tears once again.

"I don't know why this happened to us, Katniss. What I do know is that we will get through this. Together we can get through anything." He tells me, resting his head very close to mine. I lean my head up and press a soft kiss to his lips. I can feel him smile as my lips touch his own, sending a wildfire of passion through our bodies.

Peeta repositions himself above me and I continue kissing him. I kiss his lips, his cheeks, his neck, every part of him. He kisses me back and my breath escapes me. His lips feel like heaven against my skin. A fire is ignited deep inside me and I kiss Peeta harder, flipping us over so I am on top of him.

"Katniss, sweetheart, the doctor said we can't have sex for a few weeks." Peeta tells me through ragged breathes. I sigh in frustration before dropping beside him.

"Don't worry. Soon enough we'll be trying for another baby." He says to me, pulling me into his arms.

"I just want to show you how much I love you." I tell him, running my fingers over his firm chest.

"I know you love me," He tells me gently.

"Do you? I mean, the way that I treated isn't the way wife treats her husband that she loves." I tell him.

"Katniss, I understand that you were going through a hard time. I wanted to give you the space that you needed to heal." He says, holding my face in his gentle hands.

"I do love you. You know that, right?" I ask him, biting my lips in anticipation.

"I know you love me and I love you, too. I love you so much, Katniss." He tells me before he wraps his arms around me and we fall asleep together, a tangle of arms and legs.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, Everyone! I am so happy with how well this story is doing! I had no idea that people would love it as much as I do! Thank you! Here is the next chapter. I hope you all love it!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seven<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Six weeks later*_

It's been seven and a half weeks since my miscarriage. My mom left only a week ago and I already miss her so much. During her stay in District 12, we worked on patching up our rocky relationship. Now I am happy to say that we have the mother-daughter relationship that people always envy.

"Peeta, stop," I tell him as he kisses my neck seductively.

"You know you like it," He tells me, giving my neck one more kiss before pulling himself away. I roll my eyes as I rest my head back onto his chest. We are in the meadow, staring up to the bright, endless blue sky, watching the clouds as they roll by.

"That one looks like a baby," Peeta says lightly, pointing at a white, fluffy cloud hanging high in the sky. I mentally roll my eyes. Ever since I've come out of my mini-depression, Peeta has been making a lot of not-so-subtle hints that he wants to try for another baby. It has been getting increasingly annoying.

"That one looks like a mockingjay," I say quickly to change the subject. The cloud I am pointing at looks absolutely nothing like a mockingjay, but it was the only thing that came to my mind.

We are silent for a few moments, enjoying the cool November air against our bodies. I snuggle closer to Peeta as the breeze sends a chill through my body. He wraps his arm tighter around my body and I smile.

As I stare off into the clear, blue sky, my mind wanders to our lost baby. I always wonder what it would have looked like. Would it have been a boy with wavy blonde hair and crystal blue eyes? Or would it have been a girl with dark brown hair and fierce grey eyes? Would it have had a knack for baking or been skilled with a bow? I just wish I could've watched my son or daughter grow up and become a strong, young adult.

"What are you thinking about?" Peeta asks me, noting my serious expression.

"Nothing," I tell him, shaking my head back and forth as if to ward off these thoughts from coming back.

"You looked so serious," He says, brushing a few stray hairs out of my face.

"Well, I am a very serious person." I tell him in a mock serious tone. We both burst into a fit of laughter and, before I know it, Peeta is kissing my lips. His kiss is full of heated passion and I want this moment to stop so I can enjoy it forever. He wraps his arms around me and pulls my body close to his. I can feel both his firm muscles and his arousal. He slips his tongue through my lips and explores my mouth. I make a noise he must mistake for a moan because, next thing I know, my back in on the floor of the meadow and Peeta is on top of me. His hands explore my body, his fingers brushing against my most sensitive skin. I love the feeling of his skin against mine and kiss makes me feel intoxicated, but I am not ready for this. I place my hands on his heaving chest and push him off of me.

"What did I do wrong?" He asks, trying to catch his breath.

"Nothing," I tell him, turning my head away from him.

"I must've done something wrong, because you've never pushed me away like that." He says. I do not respond.

"Katniss, if there is something bothering you, please tell me." He pleads. I turn back towards him. His crystal blue eyes are pleading and it breaks my heart that I am not ready to give him what he desires so much.

"I'm just not. . . I'm not ready to try for another baby." I tell him, on the verge of breaking down.

"Katniss," He says, wrapping me back into his arms, "it's okay if you aren't ready to try for another baby. I understand that you're still healing emotionally. I can wait for as long as you need to."

"I just feel horrible because you want a baby so much and you deserve to be happy after everything you've gone through." I tell him, tears spilling over my cheeks.

"Shh, sweetheart, we both deserve to be happy. Don't worry. We'll have our happiness. I promise." He tells me, kissing my head and rubbing soothing circles on my back.

"I love you," I tell him, resting my head against his shoulder.

"I love you, too." He tells me, resting his head on top of mine.

_*Two weeks later*_

I am moving slightly through the woods, hunting my prey. Wild turkeys are on the menu for tonight. It is thanksgiving morning and Peeta sent me out to get two wild turkeys for tonight's dinner at our house. My mother arrived yesterday morning and will be staying through New Year's Day. Haymitch will be joining us, so I have to pick up more liquor from the town market on my way home. Greasy Sae and her granddaughter will be joining us, too. I like to invite Greasy Sae over for all the major holidays as a 'thank you' for taking care of me after the Games. Johanna is also coming all the way from District 7 to spend Thanksgiving with us. It will be the first time we've ever had a full house and it'll be the most people Peeta has ever cooked a single meal for.

Before the sun has even made its way to the center of the sky above me, I have killed two turkeys and few opossums to trade at the market. At the market, I trade three opossums for a few bottles of white liquor and a five pound sack of potatoes.

"I'm home!" I call into the house as I enter through the back door. I can hear a busy Peeta yell a response from the kitchen. I enter the kitchen to find my very sexy husband in his "Kiss the Cook" apron bent over, pulling something out of the oven. I hover over him, enjoying the view for a few minutes before making my presence known to him.

"How's it going?" I ask him, placing the turkeys, liquor, and potatoes on the counter.

"Good," He tells me, giving me a quick peck on the lips. I pluck and gut the turkeys, peel the potatoes, and put the liquor in the refrigerator to chill before I am useless to Peeta. I decide to go and pick up the spare bedrooms and the living and dining rooms even though they are already spotless. My mother had decided to go visit some old friends this morning and said she wouldn't be home until around two in the afternoon.

My mother returns a little after two and we spend a few hours playing cards and watching the huge, flat screen TV in the living room that barely ever gets used. We talk some more about my miscarriage and how I've been doing. Since my mom's first visit, I call her every Sunday night so she knows I am doing well and so she can help me if I am not doing the greatest.

Peeta is still busily cooking in the kitchen and the entire house smells like a mix of potatoes, vegetables, turkey, and desserts. The house is almost unbearably hot and stuffy and I am forced to open a few windows to let in the cool November breeze.

Greasy Sae and her granddaughter arrive around 3:30. Greasy Sae goes straight to the kitchen to give Peeta a helping hand that I am sure he will appreciate. My mother and I watch her granddaughter as she plays with an old stuffed dog that looks like it just barely survived the bombings.

Haymitch drags himself over to our house in a stupor. He is obviously buzzed, but less drunk than usual. He plops onto a chair and naps despite the noise level in the house.

Johanna arrives around five, late as usual. I answer the door and she immediately pulls me into a bone crushing hug. Her hair has grown back and I think it looks better than it ever has. Her brown hair is shoulder length and thick. Her brown eyes sparkle with a zeal for life that I have never seen in her before. We chat for a while before Peeta and Greasy Sae announce that it is time for dinner.

We all take our seats around the huge dining room table. Spread out all over the table is the magnificent food my husband and Greasy Sae have prepared. The turkeys are perfectly cooked and smell heavenly. There is a medley of vegetables. The potatoes are creamy and the gravy is smooth and delicious. Haymitch is eating so much that he barely has time to drink any of his liquor. My wonderful husband seems to have out done himself tonight.

The doorbell rings and I excuse myself to go answer it. I weave my way through the house to the front door and pull it open, wondering who else could be showing up here. The face I see on the other side of the door makes me gasp out one word:

"Gale,"

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading, everyone! <em>Review please!<em> I also need ideas for something Haymitch should do while he's drunk on New Year's Eve! Tell me your ideas in reviews! Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! It's self edited, so I'm sorry if there are some mistakes. Editing isn't my greatest thing ever. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Eight<span>

Katniss' POV

"Hey, Catnip," He replies in his familiar, deep voice. I am too flabbergasted to reply. I just stare at him, mouth agape. Why is he here? Shouldn't he be busy with governmental responsibilities or something? Why would he come _here _of all places anyway? His family moved with him to District 2 fifteen years ago, so there's no real reason for him to be here.

"Katniss, who is it?" I hear Peeta call as he comes towards the door. I stay silent and move to the side so Peeta can see who it is. I don't have to look at either of their faces to feel the instant tension that fills the room.

"Gale, what brings you here?" Peeta asks in the most civilized tone he could manage to muster up.

"Just thought it was time I came and saw some old friends," He replies, smiling in a very phony way.

"Great. That's great. Would you like to join us for dinner?" He offers, gesturing towards our dining room full of friends and family.

"I'd love to," Gale replies.

Dinner seems to go surprisingly well. There was tension in the room when Gale first entered, but it slowly dissipated. I do believe that some of the credit for that would have to go to the alcohol we all consumed. Gale made polite talk with everyone, including Peeta. But the only thing I could think about when I looked at him was sweet, little Prim dying from an explosion that his bombs caused.

Dinner ends and Johanna helps me clear the dishes from the table before she goes into the living room to enjoy dessert with everyone. I am contently washing the dishes, the sink full of soap bubbles that tickle my skin, when I hear footsteps nearing the kitchen. The corners of my mouth lift up, expecting Peeta. I look up in time to watch Gale lean against the doorframe. My face falls and I turn back towards the dishes.

"Hello again, Catnip," Gale says as I turn my head back towards him.

"Hey," I reply quietly.

"Are you okay? You barely talked at all during dinner." He asks as he walks over to me. He leans against the counter and the way the low lighting hits his face makes him look very attractive. He basically looks the same as he did fifteen years ago, except that some of the muscle that used to be in his midsection turned to fat.

"I'm fine." I lie. I'm really not in the mood to deal with him. I just want him to leave as quickly as he came.

"You're a terrible liar," He says, leaning his head down so his face is only inches from mine.

"Why are you here, Gale?" I ask him. He blinks a few times before leaning his head back in an exasperated motion.

"I just wanted to see you. It's been too long since we saw each other last." He tells me, his fingers brushing the skin of my arm. His touch sends shivers down my back.

"Why didn't you call first? Why did you have to just show up out of the blue?" I ask, my tone becoming slightly annoyed.

"Because this was kind of a spur of the moment thing for me," He replies, looking into my eyes. The way he looks at me makes me feel like he can see right into my soul and my knees begin to feel weak.

"Well, next time, you should call first." I tell him, turning back to the dishes. I dry off a few plates and put them in the cupboard. Gale picks up a dish towel and a plate and begins helping me dry off and put away the dishes. We remain silent except for me telling Gale where the dishes go. We finish the dishes and I lean up against the counter. I am well aware of the very small space in between us.

"Gale, I-" I begin but am interrupted by his lips being pressed tightly against mine. Gale kisses me fiercely, wrapping his arms around my body and holding me tight. The longer his lips are connected to mine, the more I remember how great of a kisser he is. I start to relax my muscles, but mentally slap myself. I struggle to push him away, but he seems to be stronger than I remember. Finally he lets me go and I stand there, utterly confused.

"Katniss, I just had-" He starts, but this time I cut him off with my open palm colliding solidly with the side of his face. The sound echoes through the kitchen and I fear that the other guests have heard. When no one comes rushing into the kitchen, I storm out.

I enter the living room and am immediately handed a plate containing at least three different slices of pie, a slice of carrot cake, and a gooey, fudge brownie. Peeta wraps his arm around my shoulder as I eat and the crowd around me continues its festivities. I look up and catch Gale's eyes from across the room. He's starring at Peeta and me with an envious glare. I stare back at him and press myself closer to Peeta, hoping that he'll be able to get the silent message.

The night lasts into the next morning, but around 2 a.m. Greasy Sae takes her sleeping granddaughter home and Johanna and my mother head up to the their guest bedrooms. Gale leaves, giving me a very awkward hug goodbye, and Peeta and I go up to our bedroom. Peeta makes an attempt at romance; I turn him down, using the excuse that my mother is in the next room. Truthfully, I'm just not in the mood after the whole mayhem with Gale.

Peeta falls asleep quickly, his warm breath tickling my neck every time he exhales. I watch him for a while. I watch as his chest rises and falls with each steady breath. I watch as his eyes twitch beneath their lids as he dreams. I can still remember when Peeta would wake up screaming several times a night from his nightmares. I am amazed by how far we've come since our first Hunger Games. I know that, without Peeta, I would not have made it to this point. If it weren't for Peeta, I would still wake up screaming and in a cold sweat from my own nightmares.

What if I cannot give him the babies that he deserves? After everything he's been through, Peeta deserves to be happy. He might say that he doesn't need a family to be happy, that I am enough for him, but I know that it would kill him if we didn't have children. What if, ten years from now, he resents me because I never did give him those children that he wanted so much? I don't know how I'd be able to deal with it if Peeta left me. He's been my rock for so long that I'm afraid what will happen if I am forced to stand on my own, even for just a second.

What if Gale doesn't stop his tenacity to get me back? It was hard enough to push him away today and I don't know if I'd be able to for any length of time. How far is Gale willing to go to get me back? With his new power in the government, Gale could influence a lot of things. Would Gale be so daring as to kill Peeta to make sure I had no one else to go to? That thought scares me and I turn back to Peeta. The steady rise and fall of his chest comforts me, as if I had expected his heart to stop at just the thought of his death.

What if I'm not supposed to be with Peeta? Everything seemed so natural and he already loved me, so I never questioned our love. But what if it wasn't meant for us to be together and the universe's subtle way of telling us is our inability to get pregnant? At first, our love was just a ploy to gain us sponsors in the Hunger Games, but everything turned into so much more after that. I still have nightmares about the time Peeta's heart stopped in the Quarter Quell. I don't think I could live without Peeta at my side, but I've really missed Gale these past fifteen years. When Peeta kisses me, a fire is ignited in my belly and I can't get enough of it. When Gale kisses me, it is a new passion I hadn't previously thought existed. Eventually, my inner monologue ends and I fall into a restless and nightmare filled sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed it! Please review! And keep the Drunk Haymitch ideas coming! I need your help! <strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey, Everyone! This is the next chapter. Hope you like it! Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own the characters of The Hunger Games (dang it!). Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Nine<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Three weeks later*_

Christmas is next week and I'm at the market looking for a present for Katniss. For some reason, things have been tense between Katniss and me for the last couple of weeks. I'm hoping that this tension will dissipate over the holidays.

I am searching through the jewelry stores at the market, trying to find something simple that Katniss might actually wear someday. Every year, I get her something practical like hunting gear, but this year I want to get her something more intimate.

After an hour of walking around aimlessly, a lady finally took pity on me and started helping me look for something Katniss would love. We looked at diamonds in every form you could find them, but I didn't think Katniss was a diamond person. So we continued looking.

Finally, I found a heart shaped, amber pendant attached to a sterling silver chain. I ran my thumb over the heart pendant and smiled as the light hit it, making it look as if it were on fire. It was definitely the perfect gift for my girl on fire. I bought it and had the lady that had been helping me gift wrap it for me.

After purchasing the necklace, I continued to walk around the market. I found a camouflage hunting jacket and a pair of hunting boots that I thought Katniss would like, so I bought them, too.

Once I'm home, I rush to put Katniss' presents somewhere she'd never look: The flour cupboard in the kitchen. I am just sitting down on the couch with my sketch pad when I hear the back door open.

"I'm home," Katniss yells as she slips off her old hunting boots.

"I'm in the living room," I call back, tossing my sketch pad back onto the coffee table.

"How was your day?" She asks, sitting down at the other end of the couch and picking up the newspaper.

"My day was good. What about yours?" I ask, shifting to face her.

"Fine," She replies, never looking up from the newspaper. This is how it's basically been since thanksgiving. I get up early in the morning to go work at the bakery. Katniss goes hunting around seven and doesn't come home until around now, which is four in the afternoon. If I didn't know better, I would say Katniss had a boyfriend on the side.

After a few minutes of silence, I get up and go into the kitchen to start dinner. On the counter in the kitchen, Katniss has left me a skinned and boned beaver. I chop up the meat along with some onions, carrots, and potatoes and dump them into a pot. I add two cups of water and some spices before letting it simmer for a while. In the meantime, I baked a couple loafs of bread for the next few days.

An hour and a half later, the beaver stew was done and I was pulling the bread out of the oven. Katniss and I ate at the kitchen table in an awkward silence. I watch as Katniss eats her food in a solemn manner and can't help the question that pops out of my mouth.

"What's wrong with you?" I ask her in a not-so pleasant manner.

"I don't have a problem," She replies snippily at me.

"Obviously there is something bothering you," I tell her.

"Nothing is bothering you! Can't you just learn to mind your own damn business?" She snaps at me before getting up and storming out of the kitchen and up the stairs. I sigh and put my hands in my head. Things have just been too tense between us lately and I don't know what to do.

Katniss keeps herself locked up in her room for the rest of the night and I end up sleeping on the couch for the next couple of days as Katniss cools down from our fight. She is definitely the girl on fire sometimes. I'm just hoping that the tension between us dissipates before Christmas.

_*One Week Later*_

Its two nights before Christmas Eve and Katniss finally let me back into the bedroom tonight. I am rearranging the pillows on my side of the bed, when Katniss comes up behind me and starts kissing my neck.

"What's this for?" I ask her, turning around to face her.

"Your welcome back present," She replies, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. I smile and lean in to kiss her lips. She moans and I can feel the corners of her lips twist up into a smile as we kiss. She pushes me onto the bed and then climbs on top of me.

"I love you," She whispers into my ear before she starts sucking on my earlobe.

"I love you, too." I tell her and we make love to each other.

I wake up the next morning with Katniss' head on my chest and her hair splayed around me. I shift my head and brush some of her beautiful, brown hair out of our faces. For a while, I just stare at my beautiful wife. Everything about my Katniss is beautiful: Her hair, her eyes, her skin, her soul, everything.

She stirs before her beautiful grey eyes open up. Her lips twist into a smile as soon as she sees me. She leans her head up and kisses my lips.

"I've missed waking up to you," She tells me.

"Me, too," I reply, kissing her forehead.

We get out of bed and head downstairs to start our day. Today, Johanna is coming from District 7 to spend Christmas and New Year's with us. Katniss and her mother would be doing most of the cleaning while I would be cooking and baking.

"I'm going for a quick hunt. I should be back in an hour." Katniss tells me. She kisses me goodbye and heads out the door.

I make the dough for bread, enough to probably feed the entire district, and set it aside to rise. Next, I head out to the little garden that Katniss and I planted for fresh fruits and vegetable closer to home. I pick some raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and boysenberries. I head back inside and spend the next hour and a half making the fillings for the various pastries.

"Something smells good," Katniss says as she enters the house. She gives me a kiss hello and sticks her finger in the bowl of raspberry filling I am currently making.

"Tastes good," She tells me, before she goes to help her mother clean the house. I take the dough that has risen to twice its original size and conform it to the pie tins. I bake the dough for a little while before removing it from the oven, adding the fillings, and placing the top layer of dough on top. I stick it back into the oven and start working on my next project.

I take the rest of the risen dough and form it into decorative loaves, combining my artistic and baking skills, and stick them into the second oven in our kitchen. Once I have everything in the oven, I clean up my mess and sit down at the kitchen table with my sketch pad.

I begin drawing a face which quickly turns into Katniss' face. But it doesn't look quite right. This face has the same fierce, grey eyes and the same determined facial expression, but it's a younger version of Katniss'. It's our daughter. I sigh before tearing out the page and tossing it into the waste basket. I am afraid that, if Katniss sees it, she will get upset.

I hear the doorbell ring and get up to answer it. I am in the living room when I see that Katniss has already answered the door.

"Let the festivities begin!" Johanna Mason calls as she enters the house.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed it! Reviews make me happy and I write faster when I'm happy, so review! (please?) <strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello, Everyone! Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games I am just obsessed. :D**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Ten<span>

Katniss' POV

Johanna pulls me into a tight hug and we embrace for a few minutes. She releases me and just as quickly pulls Peeta into her arms, giving him a bone crushing hug.

"I've missed my favorite rebels!" She says as she releases Peeta.

"We've missed you, too, Johanna." I tell her. Johanna starts filling us in on everything she's been up to in District 7 since Thanksgiving. She talks about the maple syrup harvest from the big, old maple trees throughout the district. She really catches my attention when she starts talking about a new man that has entered her life.

"His name is Nash, Nash Hemlock. He's a lumberjack and he is _very_ handsome," She tells me and I laugh.

"How long have you been seeing him?" I ask

"Just a couple of weeks," She replies. "He's a really great guy."

"I'm so happy for you," I tell her, giving her a hug. "You should've brought him with you."

"He's spending Christmas with his family. He invited me, but I told him I was going to see _my _family." Johanna says. I start to tear up at the thought of Johanna viewing me as her family.

"Maybe you could invite him for New Year's?" I suggest.

"That sounds like it would be fun. I'll call him later and see if he'd like to come." Johanna replies.

"Dinner is ready!" Peeta yells from the kitchen and we get up and head into the kitchen for our Christmas Eve dinner.

Once again, Peeta has amazingly outdone himself with tonight's dinner. Tonight, we are having venison steaks, huge baked potatoes, and vegetable medley. The food is so good that there is barely any room for conversation.

"Where on earth is Haymitch?" My mother asks out of the blue.

"He's probably drunk on his couch," I replied, taking another bite of steak.

"We invited him, but we never really know if he'll show up." Peeta says, continuing to eat his dinner.

"That man will never grow up," My mom huffs.

"I'm glad you've all accepted it," Haymitch says as he drags himself into the kitchen. "I can't believe you started eating without me!"

"We told you what time to be over," I tell him, shaking my head in exasperation. Haymitch rolls his eyes at me and starts shoving food down his throat.

After dinner, we all retire to the living room to watch some very old, Christmas movies on the television. The first one we decide to watch is _Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys. _It was a little bit sad, but it had a happy ending. Next we watched _Elf _and _National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation_, which were pretty hilarious. Lastly we watched _The Polar Express_ before we all headed to bed.

The next morning, I wake to the feeling of Peeta kissing my forehead. My eyes flutter open and I turn to look at the clock. It's eight o'clock in the morning. I can already hear everyone downstairs. I must be the last one up.

I pull myself out of bed, throw on a fleece sweatshirt over my bare shoulders, and head downstairs. Everyone is in the living room, coffee cups in hand, waiting for me. Even Haymitch is awake and seems relatively sober. I sit down on the couch next to Peeta and he hands me a cup of hot coffee.

"Let the fun begin," I say as I sip at my coffee.

Johanna starts passing out the presents. By the time she is done, everyone has a pile of presents in front of them. Haymitch is the first to open his present.

"What is it?" I ask him even though I know what it is since it was my and Peeta's gift to him.

"Well, sweetheart, it is a two year membership to the Liquor-of-the-Month club." Haymitch says and everyone in the room starts laughing.

"At least you know he'll use it," Johanna remarks through her fits of laughter. Next, it is my mom's turn. She also opens the present Peeta and I got her. She tears away the wrapping paper, opens the small, velvety box, and gasps. Inside the small, black, velvety box is a heart pendant, with the words "A mother holds her child's hand for a short while but their hearts forever" engraved into it, with a sterling silver chain.

"Oh, Katniss, it's beautiful!" My mother says as she pulls me into a hug.

"Peeta helped me pick it out," I tell her and she pulls him into a hug, too. Now it's Peeta's turn. He's opening the present from me that is wrapped in simple, red paper. As he tears away the paper, more of the words on his present become visible.

"I love it!" He exclaims, wrapping his arm around me. It is a deluxe, art set with over a hundred color pencils in stylish, wooden case.

"I'm glad you like it," I tell him, snuggling closer to him as he hands me my present. It is from Haymitch and is heavy and shaped like a cylinder. I tear away the paper and am confused by what is staring back at me.

"It's for the girl on fire, just in case things ever get out of hand." He chuckles. I am holding a fire extinguisher. It's classic Haymitch to turn Christmas presents into a joke.

"I love it," I tell him with a fake smile. He raises his glass of scotch in my honor before taking a swig.

Now it is Johanna's turn. She takes a small package from her pile and begins opening it. Under the wrapping paper, there is a medium sized box. Johanna opens that box and finds another, smaller box. Johanna chuckles a little as she opens the smaller box to reveal, yet again, another box.

"Okay, Katniss this isn't funny." She says, turning to me with an annoyed expression.

"What? That's not my present. I swear!" I exclaim. Johanna rolls her eyes and opens a few more boxes until her present is finally revealed. It is a pine tree pendant. Johanna sniffs it and rolls her eyes again.

"It's a pine tree air freshener." She tells us and Haymitch starts to laugh. Obviously, it was his present.

We all continue opening our presents. Haymitch gets a brown, leather jacket that Effie sent him, a new, designer liquor cabinet from Johanna, and a coupon for a haircut from my mom. Mom gets a crème colored sweater from Johanna and a pearl necklace from Haymitch. Peeta gets a new set of bread pans from mom, a "Like my buns?" apron from Haymitch, a canister of hair gel from Effie, and a new sketch pad from my mom. Johanna gets a new, yellow dress from Effie, a new pair of hiking boots from Peeta and me, and a tie dye sweatshirt from my mom. I get a new pair of hunting boots from my mom and a camouflage hunting jacket from Johanna. We are all getting up to have breakfast when Peeta stops me.

"Katniss, hold on a second." He says, grabbing something from where we had been sitting.

"What is it?" I ask him.

"I have something for you," He says, handing me a small jewelry box. I open it and cannot hide my gasp. It is an amber, heart pendant with a beautifully rustic, sterling silver chain.

"Oh, Peeta, I love it!" I exclaim as I pull him into a hug. "It's so beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it," He tells me, kissing my lips tenderly. Behind us, Johanna snorts and Haymitch coughs.

"Are you two lovebirds done yet?" he asked. "I want food, but you're in my way." Peeta looked at me. I grinned up at him. Haymitch paled. Before he could say anything else, I was locked in lip-to-lip combat with my husband. Johanna and my mother laugh at the look on Haymitch's face.

"Hate to say it, but you asked for it," Johanna said cheerfully. Haymitch glared at her.

"Shut up," he muttered. Finally, I felt that we had sufficiently embarrassed our former mentor enough, and I pulled my lips from Peeta's.

"You may now pass," I said, stepping to one side and gesturing towards the kitchen.

"About time," Haymitch grumbled, brushing past the two of us. "I'm getting too old for your shenanigans." We all laughed as we followed him to where the food was.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed it! Reviews make me happy! So review! (please?) Also, be sure to check out my new story "The Drunken Endeavors of Haymitch Abernathy". <strong>


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello, ****Everyone! Here's the next chapter! It's self edited because I wanted to give my ****beta the Easter holiday off. Hope you enjoy this next chapter :)**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Eleven<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Six Days Later*_

It's New Year's Eve. Katniss, Johanna, Johanna's new boyfriend, Nash, and I are going out tonight to celebrate.

"Peeta, are you ready?" Katniss asks me as she comes down the stairs and into the living room.

"I've _been _ready, sweetheart." I tell her as she appears into the room. The sight of my beautiful wife is breathtaking. She is wearing a pair of dark wash, skinny jeans, a bright orange halter top, and black stiletto heels. Around her neck is the necklace with the heart pendant that I gave her for Christmas less than a week ago.

"Are we ready to go?" Johanna asks us as she appears from the kitchen, pulling Nash with her. Nash has forest green eyes and wavy blonde hair.

"Yep," Katniss replies and grabs my hand as we walk out the door.

We arrive at the newly built bar that is just a few minutes' walk from the center of town. Already, the place is crowded with people that are just waiting to ring in the New Year. The music was pulsating through the medium sized building and the air was fairly hot.

In no time, Johanna had pulled Nash out onto the dance floor and they were lost into the tangle of bodies in a matter of seconds. I lean against the bar counter, Katniss in my arms, and watch the crowd.

It is truly amazing how far District 12 has come since the bombings. Within two years, we had rebuilt all of the houses and had started repairing the rest of the town. First, we worked on rebuilding the Hob, now called the market, and the new hospital and schools. Once the necessary things had been rebuilt, we started rebuilding the bakery and other stores in the district.

"Let's go dance," Katniss says. She has to speak directly into my ear because the music is so loud. I nod in agreement and let her pull me onto the dance floor.

If at all possible, the music is even louder on the dance floor. Katniss pulls me close to her body and we dance along to the rhythm of the music. Katniss wraps her arms around my shoulders and kisses my lips seductively. I kiss her back and I hear a low growl escape her mouth. I pull away and laugh at the frustrated look she gives me.

"Get back over here," She says as she pulls me back into her embrace. Our lips meet and nothing else in the world matters. It is just me and the woman I love. Her tongue grazes my lips and then slips into my mouth. Katniss moans into my mouth and my heart starts beating at a crazy speed.

"Okay, you two. Let's not scar all of District 12 for life," Johanna says with a snort. Katniss breaks our kiss and I sigh in frustration. We all head over to the bar and order drinks.

"One sex on the beach," Johanna says, winking at Nash seductively. I roll my eyes and order a beer.

"I'll just have a soda," Katniss requests. We sit at the bar and enjoy our drinks. Johanna and Nash start making out and the atmosphere turns awkward.

"It's hot in here," Katniss says. "Let's go outside."

"Okay," I reply and we head outside. The air outside is a little chilly and I wrap my arms around Katniss when I see her shiver.

"Peeta, I have something I need to tell you," Katniss says, tilting her head so she can look into my eyes. I am about to respond when I am cut off by the sound of someone screaming. It isn't a scream for help. It is a scream of celebration. Katniss and I both look over to where the sound came from. We are met with the sight of a very naked Haymitch running through the town square and screaming his head off.

"I really did not need to see that," I hear Johanna say behind us.

"You and me both," Katniss replies.

"Does he do things like these often?" Nash asks, placing his arm around Johanna.

"Only all the time," Katniss says, the corners of her mouth turning up into a smile. Johanna and Nash start to laugh and I can't help joining in.

"C'mon, guys, the party's still going on without us." Johanna says, pulling Nash and Katniss back towards the bar.

Back inside the bar, strode lights and fog machines have been turned out. A giant, digital clock has been suspended from the ceiling and is counting down the last hour of the year. Johanna pulls us all onto the dance floor and we lose ourselves in the music. The energy from all the other people in the crowd is contagious and, before I know it, Katniss and I are dancing just as hard as everyone else in the bar. It feels good to act my age for once, dancing in a bar with my very beautiful wife.

I pull Katniss close, relishing in the feeling of her skin against my own. She kisses my lips and I start to feel dizzy. That's what this woman does to me. She makes me feel high. She turns me stupid.

"I love you," I whisper into her ear.

"I love you, too." She replies, nipping at my earlobe lightly. My breath hitches and a low growl escapes from my throat.

All of a sudden, everyone in the bar started cheering, effectively ruining the seductive mood. I look up and see that the clock is down to the last two minutes. It's almost time to ring in the New Year.

"Ten, nine, eight," The crowd starts chanting. I look over to Katniss, who is completely immersed in the celebration. Her cheeks are flushed from dancing and there is a twinkle in her eye that makes me so happy to see.

"Four, three, two, ONE," The crowd exclaims and Katniss presses her lips against mine.

"I love you," She says, smiling up at me.

"I love you, too." I tell her, wrapping my arms around her body.

Katniss and I are back at our house in Victor's Village. Johanna and Nash have retired to their bedroom and are banging in the New Year, literally. Katniss has changed into her pajamas: a pair of blue, plaid pajama pants and a grey tank top.

"Hey, what is it that you were trying to tell me before Haymitch totally ruined the moment?" I ask her, crawling into bed next to my wife.

"Oh . . . it can wait 'til morning," Katniss says nonchalantly as she readies herself for bed.

"Oh, c'mon, tell me." I press.

"I. . . Peeta, I'm. . . Well, I. . . I'm pregnant." She finally stammers out. Did I hear her right? We're going to have a baby?

"You're not happy," Katniss says, tears welling up in her beautiful, grey eyes.

"Oh, honey! No, no. I am so happy! I am, really!" I exclaim, pulling her into my arms and holding her close.

"You are?" She asks, wiping her eyes.

"Of course, I am! Katniss, we're going to have a baby! This is the best thing in the world!" I exclaim. The huge smile on my face must convince her because she leans in and kisses my lips tenderly.

"We made a baby," She whispers against my lips and I smile bigger.

"We made a baby," I repeat. We settle down for bed and I turn off the bedroom lights. Katniss snuggles into my chest and I stroke her hair.

"What if we miscarry again?" She asks in a quiet, somber voice.

"We won't," I tell her, desperately hoping I am right.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed it! I know you've all been waiting for it! Thanks for reading and please review! Have a happy Easter! "For God so loved the world that he gave up his one and only so and whoever believes in him <strong>**will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello, Everyone! Here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy it! Self-edited so don't hate. Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games characters, I just manipulate them for the entertainment of myself and all of you. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twelve<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Three Weeks Later*_

"What if something's gone wrong?" Katniss asks me for the millionth time since she told me she's pregnant.

"Katniss, honey, everything is going to be okay." I tell her for the millionth time.

"How can you be so sure?" She asks me and the look in her eyes breaks my heart because I can tell that she wouldn't be able to handle it if we lost this baby, too.

"I can just feel it. I can't explain it, but I can just feel it." I tell her, hoping it helps.

"I just . . . I just don't want to lose this baby, Peeta." She says, on the verge of sobs.

"Katniss, I promise you that everything is going to be okay. I won't let anything happen to you or our baby." I tell her and she nods. We walk out of our house, on our way to our first OB/GYN appointment.

We arrive at the hospital and I can feel Katniss' body go rigid beside me. I lace my fingers with hers and together we walk into the hospital. Our wait in the waiting room is short and, before we know it, we are awaiting the doctor in the exam room.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Mellark," Dr. Monroe says as she enters the exam room. Katniss and I nod our greetings. "I am so happy to see you both again. Let's take a look see and find out how far along you are."

Katniss pulls up her shirt and Dr. Monroe starts the ultrasound. After only a few minutes of searching, the _whoosh whoosh _sound of our baby's heart rate fills the room. I have to cover my mouth with my hand to hold back tears of happiness. There's our beautiful, little baby on the screen. It's so tiny and fragile and I already love it so, so much. Katniss clutches my hand and I look up at her. She cheeks are tear-stained and she has the biggest smile I've ever seen on her face. I lean in and kiss her lips.

"That's our baby," I whisper into her ear and her smile gets impossibly bigger.

"That's our baby," She repeats, choking back tear.

"Well, actually that's not your baby." Dr. Monroe says and fear shoots through my body. What does she mean? "Those are your _babies_." She says and I can't believe my ears.

"What?" Katniss asks in shock.

"Congratulations, you're having twins!" Dr. Monroe exclaims and a smile forms on my face. Twins! We're having twins!

"This is unbelievable," Katniss utters.

"This is wonderful," I say, kissing Katniss' cheek. She laughs a little as a few more tears slip from her eyes. She turns her face and kisses my lips.

"While I hate to interrupt this wonderful moment, I need to get some blood samples so I can run a few tests." Dr. Monroe says. Katniss and I pull away from each other and Dr. Monroe draws some of Katniss' blood. Dr. Monroe gives Katniss some pre-natal vitamins and we make an appointment for next week before leaving the hospital.

"Peeta, can you believe it! Twins! We're going to have twins!" Katniss exclaims on our way home. She is vibrant and absolutely alive with happiness. She dances through the streets and smiles at everyone we pass. Everything she does seem to vibrate with a contagious happiness.

When we get home, Katniss pulls me into her arms and kisses my lips. I kiss her back and we make our way to our bedroom. We fall onto the bed and Katniss tugs at my shirt, making it known that she wants me to remove it. I pull my shirt off, breaking our kiss for a moment in the process. Next, Katniss pulls of her shirt and I unclasp her bra. I kiss her neck, earning some moans from Katniss in the process. Katniss tangles her fingers into my hair and tugs lightly. Katniss' hands move from my hair and down to my pants, pulling at the hem of my jeans. I let her pull my jeans down and I end up having to kick them off the rest of the way. I undo the button of Katniss' jeans and I pull them down. My breath hitches when I get a look at her black, lacy panties. Katniss giggles and pulls my lips back to hers. During our long, passionate kiss, we wiggle out of our undergarments.

"Make love to me, Peeta," Katniss breathes into my ear, her voice husky and breathless. I do what my beautiful wife asks and make love to her.

Katniss snuggles into my side as we come down from our highs. I stroke her hair as she draws circles around my nipple.

"That was amazing," She tells me, kissing my kiss in thanks.

"It certainly wasn't all me," I reply, kissing the top of Katniss' head.

"I still can't believe we're going to have twins," Katniss says quietly.

"Me neither," I reply.

"I feel like we were given twins this time to try and make up for our miscarriage," Katniss says, snuggling closer into my side. I don't respond, baffled by my wife's thinking.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm crazy. It's not like anything will ever be able to take the place of that baby. I'll always feel some love and grief over that baby." Katniss rambles. "I just. . . I don't know. There's just so much going on in my head right now and I've having a hard time sorting it all out."

"I know, sweetheart," I tell her, kissing her temple.

"I want to wait to tell everyone." Katniss says abruptly.

"Why?" I ask her.

"The chance of miscarriage dramatically decreases after the first trimester," Katniss tells me, sounding kind of like a textbook.

"If you want to wait, that's okay with me. I'll support you in whatever you decide to do," I tell her.

"I just don't want to put everyone through that again. And I don't want to have to tell everyone that we miscarried." Katniss says.

"We aren't going to miscarry," I tell her.

"You can't be completely sure about that, Peeta. You don't have any control over things like that." Katniss argues.

"I can feel it in my gut, okay," I pressed.

"But you can't be sure!" Katniss exclaimed, getting out of bed angrily.

"Why can't you just trust me?" I ask her. "After everything we've been through together, you should be able to trust me."

"I trust you and you know that! You should be able to understand how difficult this is for me! I already lost one baby!" Katniss exclaims and I suddenly feel very terrible for how I've acted.

"Katniss, I-"

"Get out," She tells me firmly, pointing at the door.

"Sweethear-"

"No, Peeta. Just get out," She tells me again. I sigh in defeat, grab my pillow and leave our bedroom. I make my way down to the couch and begin making myself a makeshift bed. When I realize that I grabbed Katniss' pillow by mistake, I head back upstairs. The hallway is dark and the light in our bedroom is off. I press my ear to the door, checking to see if Katniss is indeed asleep. I am met with the sound of Katniss sobbing softly. The sound breaks my heart and I want nothing more than to just wrap her tightly in my arms. But I refrain from doing so, figuring I would just anger her more. So I pull myself away from the door and head back downstairs.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed it! Please review! It means a lot to me! Also, I need more ideas for my other story, The Drunken Endeavors of Haymitch Abernathy. Any and All ideas are welcome. Thanks!<strong>


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey, Everyone! I am so, so, so, so, so, so sorry it took me so long to update. I've been dealing with some ****issues that screwed with my emotions and I just couldnt get this chapter done. Here's the chapter! I hope you like it! Self-edited! Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirteen<span>

Katniss' POV

The bright sun streaming through the bedroom window wakes me up and my eyes flutter open. I sit up and wipe the dried tears from my eyes. I feel absolutely horrible about the way I yelled at Peeta last night. I just wish he understood what I'm going through. Not only are my hormones raging uncontrollably, I'm also completely terrified that I'm going to do something wrong and lose these babies, too. I trust Peeta, I really do. I just. . . I'm so afraid.

I pull myself out of bed and head downstairs. Downstairs, Peeta is asleep on the couch. I watch him for a few minutes. This is the man that has been with me through everything. He's been my rock. He's been my anchor. He's been my friend. He's been my husband. He's always been there for me.

I sigh and head into the kitchen to prepare a small breakfast meal. Everyone assumes, since Peeta does all the cooking, that I can't cook. That's very wrong. I learned to cook after my father died and my mom slipped into her depression. Peeta even prefers some of my food to his own.

I crack a few eggs, whisk them in a bowl, and pour them into one of our man frying pan. I put some toast in the toaster and wait. In less than fifteen minutes, I have prepared a wonderful breakfast.

"Good morning," Peeta says quietly as he enters the kitchen.

"Morning," I reply in an even quieter voice. Peeta serves himself some breakfast and sits down across from me. I watch him as he eats. He finishes his breakfast in a matter of minutes and gets up to leave.

"Peeta, wait," I say before I can stop myself. His footsteps cease. I get up and face him. "I'm sorry about the way I acted last night. I do trust you, Peeta, with my whole heart. I don't know what came over me. It must be the hormones or something. I'm sorry."

"I understand, Katniss. I just want you to understand that you can trust me." He tells me.

"You're not mad?" I ask, touching his arm lightly.

"Of course not," He tells me. "I love you, Katniss, and I love our babies." I sniffle and throw myself into his arms. We hold each other for a long time before moving on with our day.

_*Two Months Later*_

I feel Peeta's lips against my stomach, whispering soft nothings to our unborn baby. My eyes flutter open and a small smile graces my lips. I reach down and tangle my fingers in his soft, blonde hair.

"Good morning," He says, giving my stomach one last kiss before wrapping me into his arms and kissing my lips.

"Good morning to you, too," I say, smiling against his tender lips.

"You look beautiful," He tells me.

"Sure I do," I reply sarcastically.

"You really do," He says, kissing me again. His lips pull away from mine and I am about to say something when, all of sudden, I feel a movement in my abdomen. It feels as if a butterfly is fluttering its wings inside of me. I feel it again and gasp, placing my hand onto my abdomen.

"Katniss, what's wrong?" Peeta asks his eyes wide in panic.

"Give me your hand," I tell him. He gives me his hand and I place it on my stomach just as I feel it again.

"Is that what I think it is?" Peeta asks me, looking up into my eyes. I smiled and nodded. Our babies had just started moving inside of me.

"That's so amazing," Peeta says, kissing my stomach again. I am at a complete loss for words. Tears of happiness are streaming down my cheeks. My babies are okay. They are alive and healthy and they're moving around!

"Hi, babies. I'm your daddy," Peeta murmurs against my swollen stomach. My stomach has just recently been getting larger. I, personally, do not like the feeling because I am so used to being lean and athletic. Peeta, of course, tells me every day how absolutely beautiful I am.

Peeta and I eventually drag ourselves out of bed and head downstairs. Peeta whips up a breakfast of bacon, fried eggs, and hash brown potatoes. Ever since I crossed over into my second trimester of pregnancy, my morning sickness has been little to none. It feels so much better to be able to eat again without throwing up the contents of my stomach only a few hours later.

"I think it's time to start telling people about the babies," I tell Peeta as he starts cleaning up after breakfast.

"Are you sure? I know you're still afraid of losing them," Peeta says.

"I'm in my second trimester with twins. People are going to start think that I'm just getting fat if we don't start telling people," I tell him.

"You're not fat," Peeta replies. "You're the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth."

"I'm serious, Peeta." I say.

"Okay. Who should we tell first?" He asks.

"Haymitch is closest," I say and we both head over to Haymitch's house to tell him our news.

"It is way too early for you two to be here," Haymitch groans as he opens his front door.

"Good morning to you, too, sunshine." I say sarcastically to him. Haymitch grunts in response as Peeta and I walk into his house. All the lights are off and the stench of stale alcohol surrounds you wherever you go. I clamp my mouth shut, trying to evade the wave of nausea that was brought on from the strong stench.

"So what is it that you two want?" Haymitch asks, flopping down onto the couch and taking a sip from a nearby bottle of whiskey.

"I'm pregnant," I tell him, faking nonchalance, and sitting on the arm chair nearest me. I watch as his eyes go wide and a smile spreads across his face.

"Are you really?" He asks for confirmation. I nod and he chuckles. "I'm so happy for you, sweetheart."

"Thanks," I tell him, not being able to keep my own smile from forming.

"How far along are you?" He asks, putting the bottle of whiskey on the coffee table between us.

"14 weeks," I answer.

"That definitely explains it," Haymitch says.

"Explains what?" I ask him.

"The weight gain," He answers. "I was starting to think you were just getting fat."

"I told you!" I say, turning to Peeta. He just chuckles and shakes his.

"There's more," I tell Haymitch.

"What else could there possibly be?" He asks.

"We're having twins," I tell him.

"I guess if you guys were gonna do this, you were gonna do it all the way, huh?" Haymitch replies with a snort.

"Do you want to feel them move?" I ask him.

"Can I?" Haymitch asks me, the corners of his lips twisting up into a smile. I nod and motion for him to come over to me. He kneels beside the chair I am sitting in and I place his hand onto my abdomen. I watch as Haymitch's face lights up as the babies move around inside of me.

"That's . . . amazing," He breathes. Peeta and I stay awhile, chatting about happenings around the district and throughout Panem, before leaving around noon.

"I'm happy for you two," Haymitch says as he hugs my gently.

"Thank you," I tell him as I hug him back.

* * *

><p><em><em>**Hope you all enjoyed! Hopefully I finish the next one soon!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! Self-edited so dont hate! Hope you love it! disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fourteen<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Two Weeks Later*_

Peeta and I walk, hand in hand, through District 12 on our way to our next doctor's appointment. This is a very exciting appointment because we'll be able to find out the sexes of our babies. Peeta and I had stayed up late many nights trying to decide whether or not we wanted to find out the sexes of the babies. I wanted to know, but Peeta was always one to enjoy surprises. Finally, Peeta agreed that it would be beneficial in buying stuff and designing the nurseries to know what we were expecting.

"Are you excited?" Peeta asks me as we wait in the waiting room.

"I'm really excited. I can't believe we're going to find out the sexes of our babies." I say, rubbing my stomach subconsciously. A few minutes later, the nurse calls my name and we head back to the exam room. In the exam room, I sit on the medical chair and we wait for the doctor.

"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Mellark," Dr. Monroe says as she enters the room and Peeta and I say our greetings. Dr. Monroe turns on the ultrasound machine and places the wand on my stomach. I feel my heart rate rise; a sign of my ever-present fear of losing my babies.

"Everything looks good," Dr. Monroe says and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding in. "Did you want to know the sexes?" She asks and Peeta and I nod enthusiastically. Dr. Monroe moves the wand around on my stomach, trying to find a good angle.

"Okay. Baby A is a little boy," She says and Peeta and I smile at each other.

"We have a son," Peeta says, kissing my cheek. We both turn our heads back towards the ultrasound monitor.

"And Baby B is a girl," Dr. Monroe said, smiling at us. My breath hitched. I was going to have a daughter. A few tears slip from my eyes and I wipe them away quickly. Peeta clasps my hand and kisses my cheek.

"We have a daughter," He murmurs to my quietly.

"Congratulations you two," Dr. Monroe says. "Everything checks out just fine, but I want to get another blood test just to make sure everything is doing okay." I nod and Dr. Monroe takes out a syringe and a vial. Dr. Monroe draws my blood, makes us an appointment for two weeks from now, and sends us off.

"Peeta, can you believe it! We're going to have a son AND a daughter!" I exclaim on our way home.

"I am so excited!" Peeta exclaims, wrapping me in his arms.

"I love you," I tell him, kissing his lips tenderly.

"I love you, too," He says to me as our lips part.

At home, Haymitch is standing on our back porch with a huge amount of blue and pink balloons. It is quite a funny watching Haymitch Abernathy trying to keep a cartel of balloons under control.

"How did you know we're having a boy and a girl?" I ask him as we get closer to the house.

"I didn't. I just bought both colors just in case." Haymitch replies. "You're having a one of each?"

"Yes!" I say enthusiastically. Haymitch pulls me into a hug and we embrace warmly for a few moments. During our embrace, I can't help but notice the absence of liquor on his breath. Haymitch Abernathy is sober. Haymitch and Peeta embrace once we are inside and the balloons are safe from drifting off into the sky, never to return again.

"So now you two gotta think of some names, huh?" Haymitch says as we all sit down in the living room.

"Oh, you're right! Peeta, we have to think of names!" I exclaim. I haven't thought of any names! A name is probably the most important thing a person can have!

"Don't worry, Katniss. I'm sure we'll think of something great." Peeta reassures me. I nod and my breathing calms.

"Here's our ultrasound picture," I say, handing Haymitch the printout Dr. Monroe gave us.

"This is the most amazing thing!" Haymitch says as he stares in awe at the picture.

"Isn't it?" I ask him rhetorically. We all talk for a while, when, all of a sudden, Haymitch grows very serious.

"I have something to tell you," He says seriously.

"What is it?" Peeta asks him, the panic in his voice mirroring my own.

"Katniss, Peeta, I've decided to join a twelve step program to getting sober." Haymitch tells us and I have to refrain from gasping. Haymitch Abernathy wants to get sober?

"Wow," Peeta breaths. "This is great, Haymitch."

"I want to be sober for my . . . ah . . . grandchildren." Haymitch says.

"These babies are going to be very lucky to have you as a grandpa," I encourage, hugging Haymitch. I've been hugging this man way to much lately. It must be all the hormones.

"I just want to be someone that my family can be proud of," Haymitch says and I think I see a glisten in his eyes like he might cry.

"We're proud of you, Haymitch." Peeta tells him.

"Well, you shouldn't be. The way I've conducted myself these many years isn't someone anyone should be proud of." He says, hanging his head in shame.

"Haymitch, that isn't true." I tell him, resting my hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, it is. I drove away everyone I cared about." He says.

"No, you didn't. You went through something terrible and it's completely understandable that you used alcohol to escape them. I still have nightmares and I wish they would go away." I tell him.

"I should have found a better way to deal. It's been such a long time." He says, putting his head in his hands.

"Haymitch, you should be proud of yourself for deciding to do this." I tell him sternly.

"What if I can't do it?" He asks, looking up to look into my eyes. His eyes are pleading and I can tell that this is something that he wants so very, very much.

"We'll help you through the whole thing. We won't let you fail." I tell him.

"I just want to be around for you two and your kids. I can't do that if die from liver failure." He says,

"Which is why you aren't going to die of liver failure," I tell him.

"You can't promise that. After all the drinking I've done, I should be dead already." He says.

"You should have died in the second quarter quell." I say. "You, Haymitch Abernathy, have a thing for beating the odds."

"I guess that is sort of true, huh?" He chuckles.

"It is absolutely true!" I exclaim.

"Thank you, Katniss." He says and we, once again, hug.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you loved it! please review!<strong>


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey, Everyone! I a****m so so so so so so so so sorry it's been so long since I updated! Life has just been getting in the way! I'm sorry and here's the next chapter! I hope you love it! Disclaimer: I dont own the Hunger Games!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifteen<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Four Weeks Later*_

"I look hideous!" I say as I look at myself in the floor length mirror in our bedroom.

"No you don't!" Peeta exclaims. "You are the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth." He says, gently rubbing my belly and kissing my on the cheek.

"I can't believe I let Johanna talk me into wearing a dress! This thing makes my stomach look huge. Not to mention my butt looks like I switched bodies with a hippopotamus!" I groan.

"No it doesn't," He says, lightly swatting my butt playfully. I feel my cheeks turn red and I slap his arm. He chuckles and goes into the bathroom to finish getting ready. I am still looking in the mirror when Peeta exits the bathroom.

"Katniss, honey, you really do look absolutely stunning." He tells me, touching my face gently with his fingertips. The corners of my mouth twist up into a smile and he smiles back at me. I kiss him quickly and we head off to Johanna and Nash's engagement party.

We arrive at the banquet hall just as the party is getting into full swing. Johanna didn't have many people to invite, but Nash invited all of his close family. His three brothers – Ash, Rowan, and Linden – and his two sisters – Maple and Magnolia – and his parents – Alder and Willow – were all present and incredibly excited about the engagement.

The second after it happened, Johanna called me, screaming in excitement, and told me everything. Nash had done it while they were on a picnic. They were underneath a huge maple tree and Nash had placed the ring – a three karat diamond surrounded by half karat diamonds on a white gold band – on one of the branches and, when it caught the sunlight, asked Johanna to marry him. Johanna said yes, obviously, and we planned an engagement party over the phone in just a week.

"Katniss," Johanna shouts my name as she pulls me into a tight hug. "You look so beautiful tonight! I'm so happy to see you! I've missed you so much!"

"I'm happy to see you, too." I tell her, patting her on the back awkwardly as my stomach protruded between us.

"Can you believe it? I'm getting married!" She exclaims and I chuckle because I never really pictured Johanna Mason getting married.

"It took you long enough," I joke as I punch her in the arm lightly.

The night continues. People dance and joke and talk and have fun. Haymitch spends the night sipping on a soda and Peeta and I encouraged him warmly.

Everyone in the entire banquet felt that they could come up and rub my belly before I even had the chance to say no. I felt like I was some sort of animal on display and I was really starting to get incredibly annoyed by it. Peeta could sense probably sense this and suggested that we go out and get some fresh air.

"Can you believe all those people?" I say in a huff.

"They're just happy for you," Peeta replies.

"They don't even know me!" I exclaim.

"Katniss, honey, please settle down. It's not good for the baby for you to be all stressed out." He says, rubbing my shoulders soothingly. I moan at the feeling of his magical fingers working the knots out of my muscles.

"You have amazing fingers," I tell him as I close my eyes in bliss.

"That's not the first time you've said that," He smirks and I slap him playfully.

"Just keep going," I instruct him and he chuckles. His fingers go back to their magical untying of the knots in my back and I fall into a state of bliss. I rub my hands over my belly as my babies move inside of me, no doubt sensing the change in my mood. Everyone is perfectly happy and I wish I could freeze this moment and keep it forever.

"I love you," I murmur to him as he rubs my shoulders.

"I love you, too." He says as he kisses my neck gently.

"There you two are," Johanna says as she comes up behind me. "I'm sorry about everyone touching your stomach, Katniss."

"It's okay. Peeta made me feel better." I tell her.

"That's good. But now, we have to get back to partying!" Johanna says as she grabs my hand and drags me into the banquet hall.

"Johanna, I am six months pregnant. I can't exactly do a lot of 'partying'." I tell her as we stop on the dance floor.

"Katniss, you've been so stressed out lately and that's no good for the babies. Plus, exercise is really good for you while you're pregnant." She says as she starts dancing to the music. I shake my head at her logic, but join in the dancing anyway.

Ten songs later, I am sitting in a chair trying to catch my breath. While it was completely exhausting, I have to admit that I actually had some fun tonight. I realized that constantly worrying about something bad happening has greatly impaired my ability to have fun. I never had any time to have fun and just be a kid after my father died.

"What are you thinking about?" Peeta asks me over the volume of the music. I shake my head to indicate that it wasn't that important.

Peeta extends his hand out to me and I take it. Together we make our way onto the dance floor as a slow song comes on. He pulls me close to him – well, as close as I can get with my swollen abdomen – and envelopes me in his arms. We sway along to the music and Peeta rubs my belly.

"I love you," He whispers against my ear.

"I love you, too." I whisper back to him. He smiles and looks down at my stomach.

"And I love you both so, so much." He says, rubbing his hand over my belly. I smile at him and run my fingers through his soft, blond waves.

"Katniss, you have no idea how happy I am that we're going to be parents." He tells me, his crystal blue eyes staring at me deeply.

"I'm happy, too." I tell him. The rest of the night passes quickly and, soon, Peeta and I are back at our house.

"I'm going to take a bath," I tell Peeta. My feet are swollen and ache incredibly. I run the hot water and, once the tub is full, I undress and slip into the heavenly warm water. My muscles instantly relax from the warmth and a low moan escapes my lips.

"I thought I was the only one that could make you moan like that," Peeta says from the doorway. I smile and motion for him to get in the tub with me. He strips out of his clothes and slips into the hot water next to me. He positions himself behind me, so I am between his legs, and begins rubbing my back. I moan in bliss and close my eyes.

Next thing I know, I feel Peeta press his lips against the sensitive skin of my neck. I moan and turn my head closer to him. We shift in the tub, spilling some water over the sides in the process, and end up facing each other. We have an awkward make out session, trying to maneuver around my large abdomen. I kiss his lips, exploring his body with my fingers. He moans and I smile against his lips. He kisses me back, forcing his tongue into my mouth and exploring. Peeta makes love to me gently before we exit the tub, dry off, and head to bed.

In our bed, Peeta wraps me tightly in his arms and places his hands on my stomach. For a moment, everything is perfect.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there it is! Hope you loved it! Please review! Thanks and I love you all!<strong>


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! Hope you love it! Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixteen<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Three Months Later*_

"Oh, God, I just want these things out of me NOW!" I hear Katniss yell from down the hall. Her due date came and went over a week ago and she's been getting increasingly anxious and frustrated. Since Katniss is unable to resort to her usual form of stress relief, shooting anything that moves in the woods with her bow and arrow, she has had to settle for complaining all day, every day.

"Peeta, why won't they just come out?" Katniss asks me in a pleading tone, on the verge of tears from all the stress she's been under.

"I think they love their nice, warm home too much," I tell her in a soothing voice, rubbing my hands over her swollen midsection. Katniss makes a noise, expressing her annoyance, and throws her head back onto the pillows of the couch we are sitting on.

"I'm going to go take a nap," Katniss says, her tone full to the brim with frustration. I relax on the couch for just a few moments, enjoying the silence and the feeling of the warm morning sun shining against my body from the adjacent window.

After my moment of relaxation, I decide to head upstairs to take another look at our babies' nurseries. A few weeks ago, I had spent an entire week making my children's rooms perfect for them. The nurseries' designs were based off of the names Katniss and I had chosen for our children: Phoenix Aiden Mellark and Ivy Sky Mellark.

I wander into Phoenix's room first. I painted one of his walls a rich shade of red, one of the few colors babies can actually see the first few months following their birth. His crib was made of pine and was painted an espresso brown color. It was positioned against the wall that had been painted red, along with matching a matching changing table, dresser, and rocking chair. Across the top of the room, I had painted a picture of a phoenix bird in flight as a border. Each one was slightly different from its companions.

I move onto Ivy's room. The walls of her room are a soft shade of green and a border of ivy vines and leaves ran across the top of the walls in a darker shade of green. Her crib was situated along the left hand wall, perpendicular to the window, as did the changing table, dresser, and rocking chair. Ivy's crib was made of cherry wood and added a nice tint of red to the area. I lean against the doorframe, lost in thought. In just a matter of days, maybe even hours, I will have a son and a daughter. I sigh and leave the room.

I slowly and quietly ease the door of mine and Katniss' bedroom open and slip through the small space I created. Katniss is fast asleep and I don't want to wake her. I ease myself onto our bed and watch as my beautiful wife, the mother of my children, sleeps peacefully. Her face is relaxed, a position it has rarely taken on in the past week. Her beautiful, dark brown hair is strewn across the pillow and her eyelids move rapidly, indicating a deep sleep.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know, Katniss is whispering my name, trying to rouse me from the sleep I didn't mean to fall into. I open my eyes to the sight of my wife lying on her side, a small smile on her face. I smile back at her and sit up.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"One in the afternoon," She replies, laying her head in my lap.

"How are you feeling?" I ask her, playing with her silky hair.

"I'm still pregnant." She huffs.

"It'll happen when the time is right," I tell her.

"I wish _now_ was the right time," She says, shifting her body so her head is still in my lap but she is looking up at me.

"You know, I read somewhere about an activity that can sometimes induce labor," I bring up.

"What is it? I'll try anything!" Katniss exclaims.

"Having sex," I say. Katniss looks at me for a few minutes, processing what I've just told her, before sitting up beside me and pulling me, by my shirt collar, to her.

"I'll take that as a yes," I chuckle before she kisses my lips roughly. She pushes me onto my back and climbs on top of me, never breaking our kiss. I wrap my arms around her, moaning at the sensations coursing through my body.

Katniss pulls away, practically rips off her shirt, and continues kissing me again. I am slightly shocked by the force in her actions as she rips off my shirt and starts kissing down my chest and abdomen. I tangle my fingers in her brown hair and she crushes her lips to mine once more.

I wrap my arms around her torso and unhook her bra. Katniss moans into my mouth and presses her chest up against mine. I moan and begin pulling Katniss' pants and underwear off. Once she is completely naked, she removes the rest of my garments. Katniss stops for a minute, looks deeply into my eyes, tangles her fingers in my hair, and kisses me with so much force I am taken aback.

I shift us so we are both lying on our sides and I continue to kiss her. Katniss shifts uncomfortably and I halt my actions.

"What's wrong?" I ask her.

"My giant stomach is in the freaking way!" She exclaims and I can see the familiar glint of forming tears in her eyes.

"Oh, sweetheart, it's okay." I tell her.

"I can't even have sex with my husband! I hate this!" She exclaims, tears spilling from her eyes.

"Oh, Katniss, honey, everything's okay. We'll make this work. I promise." I tell her.

"How is this going to work?" She asks, more tears spilling from her eyes.

"First, let's get you in a comfortable position. Was it better when you were on top of me?" I ask her and she nods. I nod back and we shift so that Katniss is on top of me, pillows supporting her.

"Is that better?" I ask her, she nods and wipes the tear residue from her cheeks. "Okay, so now just go at your pace. Don't worry about me. This is all for you." I tell her, kissing her lips softly.

"Make love to me, Peeta." She whispers into my ear in a quiet voice and I have no other option but to give my wife exactly what she wants.

"That was the most amazing thing I have ever felt." Katniss breaths as we collapse onto the bed. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and she snuggles into my embrace.

"I love you, Peeta." She tells me.

"I love you, too." I reply, kissing the top of her head.

"I didn't mean it when I said I hated this. I was just frustrated," She says, snuggling closer into my embrace.

"I understand, sweetheart." I tell her.

"I don't deserve you. You're too good to me." She says and I chuckle.

"I don't deserve you either," I tell her, "but it looks like we're stuck with each other." I say, rubbing her belly.

"Yup," She replies, kissing my cheek.

"I'm going to go start dinner," I tell her as I get out of bed and give her a quick peck on the lips.

I pick some fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, and garlic from our small vegetable garden before I start cooking. I chop the fresh produce before mixing it into the five cups of beef broth that was boiling on the stove. I have just added the beef chucks to the stew when I hear a shout from upstairs.

"Peeta," Katniss screams from the floor above. I rush out of the kitchen and up the stairs so fast that I don't even care that I let our dinner drop to the floor.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I ask as I hurdle myself up the stairs. Katniss is standing in the doorway of our bedroom, a terrified look on her face.

"My water just broke," She tells me.

* * *

><p><strong>OH! Cliffhanger! Review and I'll be sure to finish the next chapter very soon!<strong>


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! I hope you absolutely love it! (Because I do!) Disclaimer: I dont own the Hunger Games.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seventeen<span>

Peeta's POV

"You're water broke?" I ask in disbelief.

"Yes, it did. We have to go to the hospital." Katniss tells me, her breathing becoming slightly more labored.

"Right, Right," I say. "We have to go to the hospital. I'll grab the hospital bag and then I'll help you to the car." I tell her. I grab the bag containing everything Katniss would need for our stay at the hospital as we await the arrival of our babies and help Katniss into our car.

"Oh, crap, I forgot the keys!" I exclaim as I jump out of the car and race back into the car. I am just walking out the back door of the house when I notice that the stew has boiled over and made a huge mess of our kitchen. I curse under my breath as I turn off the stove burners. I'll have to clean that up before Katniss and the babies come home.

"Peeta," I hear Katniss yell as I leave the house.

"Okay, we can go now. Just be calm, sweetheart. Everything is going to be okay." I tell her, rubbing her belly soothingly.

We pull up to the hospital and Katniss and I make our way to the front desk.

"Hello, my wife's water broke," I say politely to the middle-aged woman at the desk.

"Who's your doctor?" She asks, turning her attention to a computer monitor.

"Dr. Monroe," I say. Katniss is beside me breathing deeply through, what I can only assume is, a contraction. "Could my wife possibly get a wheelchair?" I ask. The woman looks at me, her glasses sliding down to the tip of her nose. I smile politely at her.

"The wheel chairs are over there," She says, pointing to an area by the front door. I smile, suppressing my annoyance, and go get Katniss a wheel chair.

Katniss seems much more comfortable in the wheel chair, which is good because it takes us another ten minutes to get through all the information the woman asks for. After a grueling session of questioning, Katniss and I are finally allowed to head to the labor and delivery floor.

Once on the delivery floor, we are met with a host of friendly nurses. One of the nurses, Holly, takes us to the room we will be staying in for the duration of Katniss' labor. She helps Katniss and I get settled in before leaving to notify Dr. Monroe of our arrival. Ten minutes later, Dr. Monroe enters the room.

"I must say, I wasn't expecting you two for another week. First pregnancies usually last a few weeks past the original due date." She says.

"I guess these two just couldn't wait," Katniss says with a smile, rubbing her belly.

"I was informed that your water broke, so I am just going to take a quick look to see how far along you are." Dr. Monroe says before checking Katniss' cervix.

"Well, you're only four centimeters dilated. We still have a long way to go." Dr. Monroe said and Katniss groaned. It's going to be a long night.

It's been two hours and Katniss' contractions are now only seven minutes apart. It kills me to see her in so much pain, even though she is giving birth to my babies. I just wish there was some way that I could go through the pain for her.

"Peeta," Katniss says and I look up from the book I was reading.

"What is it, sweetheart?" I ask her.

"Can you rub my back? It's really bothering me." She asks.

"Of course I can," I say as I get up from the chair I had been sitting in. She turns away from me so that I can rub her back. I place my hands on her lower back and begin massaging the tense muscles.

"Mhmmm. You have no idea how much I love you right now." She tells me as I massage her muscles and I chuckle in response. We hear a knock at the door and Dr. Monroe enters the room.

"I just wanted to check and see how far along you are now." She says as she pulls on a pair of latex gloves. Katniss put her feet in the stirrups and Dr. Monroe, once again, checked her cervix.

"You're only at five centimeters, Katniss." Dr. Monroe states.

"Ahhh," Katniss huffs in annoyance.

"Hang in there," Dr. Monroe encourages. "It'll definitely be worth it when you hold your babies in your arms."

"It better be," Katniss chuckles in response.

Six more hours later, Katniss' contractions are now only two minutes apart and are becoming increasingly painful. Since she can't eat or drink anything, the nurses have been giving her ice chips and lollipops. To help pass the time, I've read her parts of my book, told her jokes, made up stories, and even played charades and had her guess what I was.

"It's about time you started popping these two out of you," Haymitch says as he abruptly entered our room.

"Sorry, but they're on their own schedule." Katniss replies, rolling her eyes at Haymitch.

"Well, a phone call would've been nice." Haymitch says as he flops into a nearby chair. "I brought you something," He says, tossing a bag onto Katniss' lap. Katniss removes the pink and blue tissue paper from the bag and observes its contents.

"They're adorable!" Katniss exclaims and then hands me the bag. Inside the bag, there are two onesies. One is red and orange and says "Mommy's little fireball" and the other is green and says "I like to climb into trouble".

"I can't believe you found outfits that completely go with their names," I say as I chuckle at the outfits.

"Oh, there's this website on the internet where you can make your own. I thought they'd be appropriate." Haymitch replies.

"I love the-" Katniss begins but is cut off by a fairly painful contraction. She squeezes my hand with so much force I am sure she will break my fingers. Dr. Monroe comes into the room and wants to check Katniss again.

"Well, Katniss, it seems that you've progressed faster than I thought you would. I'm going to prep for the delivery and then you can start pushing." Dr. Monroe says before leaving in a hurry to prepare for the delivery.

"I don't think I can do this," Katniss says as another contraction hits and her breathing becomes more labored.

"I should go. . ." Haymitch begins.

"No, I want you to stay. After everything we've been through, you're like family to me. You're like a father to me and I can't think of any other two people I'd rather have here with me right now." Katniss says, squeezing my hand and extending her hand to Haymitch.

"Of course I'll stay, sweetheart." He says as he clutches her hand in his.

"Alright, Katniss, are you ready?" Dr. Monroe asks as she comes in with a few nurses. Katniss nods and we get down to business.

"Okay, I want you to push at the next contraction." Dr. Monroe instructs. The next contraction comes and Katniss starts pushing. The pain must be extreme because she starts screaming and squeezing my hand harder than I thought possible. Katniss pushes for more than half an hour before I hear the first cry of my first born son. Katniss stops pushing for a minute and I cut the umbilical cord. A few tears escape from my eyes as my new born son is carried off to be cleaned.

Katniss resumes pushing, but this delivery is much quicker, only three minutes. More tears spill from my eyes as the sound of my daughter's first cry fills the room. Katniss is in tear also and even tough Haymitch has misty eyes. I cut the umbilical cord and they take her away to be cleaned.

Just a few minutes later, I am holding my son in my arms and Katniss is holding our daughter. We are a family.

* * *

><p><strong>*Sob* its just such a happy moment! I hope you all loved it as much as i do! Review please!<strong>


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey, Everyone! First, its been pointed out to me that I screwed up Haymitch's age. Let's make him. . . 56. Second, I want to say how much I appreciated you all! I never imagine my story would do so well! Thank you all! Third, Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Game :'(**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Eighteen <span>

Peeta's POV

"Are you sure you installed the car seats in right?" Katniss asks me for the thousandth time since we left the hospital.

"Yes, I'm sure. Do you think I would risk the safety of our babies?" I reply as I buckle a sleeping Phoenix into his car seat.

"No," She says. "I just want to make sure."

"I know," I reply, kissing her cheek lightly. Katniss climbs in between the car seats in the back of our car as I climb behind the steering wheel. There were no complications during or after the delivery so we got to go home the next afternoon.

The ride home is quiet. The babies are asleep and neither of us wanted to disturb their nap. Last night had been rather easy since the nurses helped us take care of the babies and Katniss was able to get a few hours of good, solid sleep. Today the real work started.

I pull the car into the driveway and help Katniss get the babies into the house. We walk in through the back door and I am surprised to see that the mess that I had left in the kitchen the day before was all cleaned up.

"I hope you two don't mind. I let myself in." Haymitch says as he walks in from the living room.

"Not at all," I tell him. "I actually really appreciate it."

"I figured you two were going to have your hands full," Haymitch says.

"Do you want to hold them?" Katniss asks him.

"Sure," Haymitch says, a smile crossing his face and a sparkle in his eyes igniting. We all move into the living room and sit on the couch. Katniss gingerly hands Ivy over to Haymitch. Haymitch cradles her against his chest. Ivy wakes up, her grey eyes looking up at Haymitch with a mix of fascination and love. Haymitch smiles brightly down at her.

"She's so beautiful," He breathes in awe.

"I think she likes her grandpa Haymitch," Katniss says, smiling at both of them. Ivy starts to cry softly and Haymitch attempts to sooth her by rocking her gently. After a few minutes, he hands her back to Katniss, who quickly manages to hush her.

"Wanna hold Phoenix?" I ask him and he nods. I stand up and pass Phoenix over to him gently. Phoenix sits contently in Haymitch's arms and stares up at him with his crystal blue eyes.

"I can't believe that you two have two beautiful children," Haymitch says quietly as he cradles Phoenix in his strong arms. I must admit that it is strange to watch Haymitch, a victor of the Hunger Games and a man that drowned his problems in alcohol for forty years, to cradle an innocent baby in his arms.

While I make dinner, Katniss and Haymitch introduce the babies to their nurseries. It's still hard for me to believe how far we've all come in the last fifteen years. Katniss has been able to heal from all the wounds, physical and mental, that she endured during the games and move on with her life. I have been able to heal and rebuild my family's bakery so that I could carry on my family's business. Haymitch, who has probably overcome the most, managed to get sober and heal from all his wounds in time to be here for his newly developed family. We all lost everything, but were still able to cling to each other and move forward.

Haymitch stays for dinner, but excuses himself shortly after. At six-thirty, Katniss and I sit down on the couch together to ready our babies for their first night in their home. Katniss breastfeeds them one at a time and I change their dirty diapers. By seven o'clock, we are placing Phoenix and Ivy in their crib that is currently placed in our bedroom. Katniss decided that she wanted the twins to sleep in our bedroom for the first couple of weeks.

"They're so peaceful," Katniss coos as we sit onto our bed.

"I think they like it here," I tell her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders.

"I'm about as tired as they are," She says, leaning her head on my shoulder.

"Why don't you go to bed? I think I can handle a couple of babies for a few hours." I tell her.

"Well, if you insist." She says before she kisses me and changes into her pajamas. She climbs into bed and insists that I lay next to her. So, I lie down and wrap her in my arms, stroking her soft hair as she drifts into a peaceful sleep.

"Peeta, wake up!" I hear Katniss exclaim. I am jolted from a peaceful sleep that I must have fallen into while lying down with Katniss. My eyes squint open and I am faintly aware of a high pitched wail filling the room. "Wake up!"

"What's . . . going on?" I ask my mind still foggy from sleep.

"Your children are awake and being uncooperative." Katniss tells me. I look over to her and I can tell she is tired. Dark circles are already forming under her eyes and her movements are sluggish. She is currently rocking a baby, who is wailing, while the other wails from the crib. I get up and grab the baby from the crib, Ivy, and begin to rock her. I realize that her diaper is dirty and quickly change it.

"When are they supposed to eat?" I ask Katniss as I hoist Ivy, who is still crying, into my arms again.

"Right now, but I wanted to try and get them to stop crying before I fed them." She says.

"Okay, well, why don't you feed Ivy while I change Phoenix's diaper?" I suggest. Katniss agrees and we awkwardly swap babies.

Katniss sits on the bed to feed Ivy and I go to the changing table to change Phoenix's diaper. He is still wailing loudly and his cries seem to upset his sister and she continues to wail, refusing to eat. I hear Katniss huff and I realize she is probably very, very frustrated. I hold Phoenix close to my chest and rock him, trying to quiet his cries. The new motion seems to work and his wails grow quieter and quieter until he stops completely. Ivy seems to become more relaxed and even begins eating. Once Ivy has had her fill, Katniss and I again switch babies and she begins to feed Phoenix. Twenty minutes later, both babies are once again content and sleepy. Katniss sings to them the same song she sang to Rue in the 74th Hunger Games, her eyes growing misty. She finishes the song and we place our babies back into their crib. I hold Katniss in my arms as she takes a few minutes to let out all her emotions in the form a few tears. Soon, Katniss and I are once again settled into our bed for a few more hours of sleep.

When I wake again, the sun is shining through the window of our bedroom. I stretch out my arm and find that Katniss isn't lying beside me. I sit up and rub the sleep from my eyes. The babies are not in their crib and I can only make one assumption: Katniss woke up early and took the babies downstairs in an effort not to disrupt my sleep. I pull myself out of bed and head down to the living room.

Just as I suspected, Katniss is sitting on the couch, Phoenix in her arms and Ivy in the playpen, sleeping.

"Good morning," I say as I place a kiss to her cheek. Next, I kiss my son on the top of the head, the brown fuzz that sits atop his head tickling my lips. I then go over to the playpen and observe my peacefully sleeping daughter for a few minutes. Katniss gets up from the couch and places Phoenix in the playpen next to his sister. We stand there together, observing our two children. Phoenix falls asleep in a few minutes and Katniss heads back over the couch. After a few more moments of silence, I speak:

"What do you want for breakfast?" I ask Katniss as I turn around, only to be met with her sleeping figure. Oh, the adventures of parenthood.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you all liked it. It wasnt a very eventful chapter. Hopefully more stuff starts happening soon. If you have anything you'd like to see happen, be sure to leave it in a review and I'll see what I think! :D Thanks for reading! Please review!<strong>


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello, Everyone! I am so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry that I havent updated in forever! School has been super stressful and then I got sick and finals are next week and Im freaking out a bit. So, I hope this chapter was worth waiting for.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Nineteen<span>

Peeta's POV

I shift my wait impatiently as I hear the wheels of the train screech to a halt at the station in District 12. Katniss' mother is finally coming to see the babies. Katniss and I have been very excited to see her and I know she's been very excited to meet her first grandchildren.

The train comes to a full stop, the doors open, and people start flowing out. I greet a few familiar faces as I wait for Mrs. Everdeen. I spot her smiling face as she walk up to me. Her arms instantly wrap me in a warm embrace and we exchange our greetings.

"Oh, it's so good to see you, Peeta." She says. "I can't wait to meet my grandbabies."

"It's good to see you, too, and I know Phoenix and Ivy can't wait to meet you." I tell her. We chatter lightly as we walk back to mine and Katniss' house in Victor's Village. I tell her all the details about the babies, even though she's already heard them from Katniss via a few phone conversations. She fills me in on all the things that have been happening in District 2. We finally arrive at the house and I can tell Mrs. Everdeen can barely contain her excitement. We enter the house through the back door and I call to Katniss.

"We're home!"

"I'm in the living room," She replies. In the living room, Katniss is holding Ivy in her arms and Phoenix is napping in the playpen.

"Hello, sweetheart," Mrs. Everdeen exclaims, hugging her daughter cautiously. "You look so radiant,"

"Thanks mom." Katniss replies. "This is Ivy Sky Mellark, your granddaughter." Katniss cautiously passes Ivy into her mother's hands. Katniss' mother instantly cuddles Ivy close to her and begins speaking.

"Aren't you the most beautiful little girl in the whole world?" She coos. "I hope you're being good for mommy and daddy."

"She's the trouble-maker," Katniss chuckles. "Always wants attention and she always starts crying _right _before I fall asleep."

"You did the same thing to me for the first couple months." Katniss' mom states. Katniss and I both chuckle.

"Would you like to meet your grandson?" I ask her, walking over to the playpen where Phoenix is just waking up.

"Oh, I would love to." Mrs. Everdeen exclaims. She passes Ivy back to Katniss and I gently hand her Phoenix.

"This is your grandson, Phoenix Aiden Mellark," I tell her as she situates Phoenix in her cradled arms.

"He's such a pretty boy. He has mommy's hair and daddy's eyes. Oh, I can tell he'll have quite a way with the ladies. Won't you?" Mrs. Everdeen coos to him and he gurgles softly in response.

"I'm going to leave you four and go start dinner," I said. I kissed each of my children on the forehead and then kissed Katniss on the cheek before heading into the kitchen.

Tonight, we would be having lamb stew. I had picked up a few pounds of lamb meat from the butcher in town this morning. First, I poured two pints of beef stock into a large kettle. Next, I chopped up two pounds worth of carrots, celery, potatoes, and onions and then added it to the beef stock in the kettle. After the vegetables, I sliced up bite-sized cubes of lamb meat and seared them in a separate pan. Once the meat was cooked all the way through and the beef stock was boiling, I added the meat. Now, I needed to wait for another hour to allow everything to tenderize properly.

"Dinner should be done around six," I say as I reenter the living room.

"Sounds good," Katniss replied. She was currently reclining on the couch watching as her mother showed our children all the toys she bought them. She had bought each of them a bouncy walker for when they were a little older a few plush toys. Phoenix got a plush penguin, lion, and turtle. Ivy got a plush frog, pig, and elephant.

"She's going to have them spoiled rotten," I whisper to Katniss.

"I have no doubt," She replies, turning to face me.

"You're beautiful," I murmur, gazing into her deep grey eyes. Her cheeks flame as a blush spreads across her face and she averts her eyes from mine.

"What's wrong?" I ask her, grazing her cheek with my fingers.

"I just think I'm beautiful." She says, still averting her eyes from mine.

"Katniss, honey, that's ridiculous. You're the most beautiful women in the world." I tell her.

"To you I am, not to the rest of the world." She says. "I used to be one of the most beautiful girls in Panem."

"During the Games," I reply before I can even think about what I'm saying.

"And now I'm just a middle-aged woman riddled with extra belly fat and stretch marks." She huffs.

"Katniss, you are hardly middle-aged and those few extra pounds and stretch marks are because you carried and then gave birth to our two beautiful children. All that makes you even more gorgeous than you were before." I tell her, staring her directly in the eye.

"You really think that?" She asks, timidly looking back at me.

"Of course I do! You'll always be the most gorgeous woman I've ever laid eyes on." I reassure her.

"You're too good for me," She says as she leans in for a kiss.

"I do believe you have that backwards, my love." I tell her just before our lips meet.

"I should feed the twins before dinner," Katniss says just after our kiss is broken by a small cry from our daughter.

"Okay," I reply with a smile. "I'll go check on dinner."

Half an hour later, we are all sitting down in the kitchen. The twins are in their highchairs between Katniss and I and Mrs. Everdeen is seated next to her daughter.

"Peeta, if this stew tastes half as good as it smells then I think we're in for a treat." Mrs. Everdeen compliments as she dishes herself out a bowlful.

"Thank you. Really you're too nice." I tell her as I dish out some stew for Katniss and then fill up my own bowl.

"And Peeta is too modest. His cooking is phenomenal!" She says, eating a spoonful of stew and then sighing to make her point. We spend the next few hours eating and enjoying each other's company but, around eight, the twins begin to show signs of tiredness. Katniss and I take them upstairs and lay them down in the crib they've been sharing and will share for a few more months yet. Katniss sings to them softly and they are out like lights in just a few minutes. I tip toe back downstairs the clean up the kitchen.

Katniss' POV

I watched my two little angels as they slept peacefully in their crib. They were such good babies. They barely ever cried unless they had a good reason to. I couldn't believe how their little personalities were coming out after just a few weeks of being in this world. Phoenix was definitely going to be the quieter of the two and a more timid child. I had a feeling that he would be a lot like his dad. Ivy was already such a curious baby. I could tell she would always be investigating new things.

All of a sudden, the thought of my two babies in the Hunger Games arena flashes through my mind. This had been one of my biggest fears my entire life. It was the reason I never wanted kids in the first place. I never wanted them to suffer in the Games like Peeta and I and so many others had to. Even the fact that the Hunger Games are over and that a new government has formed in Panem can't take away my fear.

"Katniss, honey, are you okay?" I hear my mom whisper to me from the doorway.

"I'm fine," I reply, still staring down at my babies' sleeping forms.

"They're very beautiful," My mom says as she comes to stand next to me, resting her hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks," I say, my voice cracking as the words leave my lips.

"Honey, what's wrong?" She asks me.

"I'm so afraid," I tell her, choking back the tears that burn my eyes and threaten to spill over.

"About . . .?" My mom asks.

"My babies going into the Games," I choke out as tears fill my vision.

"Oh, honey, that's not going to happen. The Games are over." My mom reassures me, rubbing my back soothingly.

"I know, but I still have this irrational fear in the back of my mind." I tell her through my tears.

"That's normal, sweetheart. You want to protect your babies against every evil in the world. I was so afraid when Prim got reaped and then when you volunteered for her. I was afraid of losing you, but you made it through. You we're so strong and I'm sure your strength is in your babies' blood, too. They will be fine, no matter what this world throws at them."

"Thanks, mom," I say as I wipe my eyes and hug her.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you loved it! Please review! Also, if you have any suggestions for chapters let me know in a review! Hopefully there is more exciting stuff to come soon! <strong>

**P.S. Review!  
><strong>


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello**, **Everyone! Here's the next chapter! I hope that was fast enough! I don't ever wanna go that long without updating again! I hope you like this chapter. :D**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Four Weeks Later*_

My two beautiful babies are now just over one month old. I am still amazed at how fast the time flew by. It feels like we just brought them home from the hospital yesterday. So much has happened that, sometimes, it's hard to believe that it's been just a mere month.

Just a few weeks ago, as I was rocking Ivy and singing to her, I looked down to see a very small, but visible upward turn of lips. My baby girl had just smiled at me! Of course I over reacted and called Peeta and by the time he got into the room, Ivy's smile was gone.

And now, as I cradled Phoenix in my arms, his tiny hand gripping my pinky finger with incredible strength, I couldn't help but feel like I never wanted this moment to pass. My baby boy was happy and content. My baby girl was asleep in Peeta's arms. Everything was perfect.

"Katniss," Peeta says, breaking the peaceful silence.

"Yeah," I reply, tearing my eyes from my beautiful baby boy and looking at Peeta.

"Can you believe that tomorrow is our 16th wedding anniversary?" Peeta asks me and I have to disguise my shock. I had completely forgotten all about our anniversary!

"I. . . I can believe it either!" I tell him, quickly recovering from my shock.

"What would you say if I told you I had something special planned?" He asks me, shifting closer to me.

"I would be a little confused with what we would be doing with our children," I tell him, gently rocking Phoenix as he begins to cry softly.

"What if I told you I already thought of that?" Peeta asks.

"I would ask you what you had thought of," I reply.

"What if I told you that Effie was coming into town and that she and Haymitch were going to watch the twins?" He asked, teasing me further with his silly 'questions'.

"Then, I would have to ask you what your special plans were," I told him, a smile crossing my face.

"I'm taking you to District 4 for the weekend." He tells me and my jaw literally drops.

"Oh, Peeta, this is amazing!" I exclaim.

"I hoped you would like it," He says, smiling at my reaction.

"Are you sure Effie and Haymitch can handle the twins? We haven't let anyone watch them for extended periods of time without us close by." I ask, concerned.

"Haymitch is sober now and he's probably read "_What to Expect: The First Year" _as thoroughly as we have. And I'm sure Effie knows how to take care of babies." Peeta reassures me. "They were both so eager to say yes and I think they might've forgotten that they hate each other."

"They don't hate each other." I say, before adding: "That much" and Peeta chuckles.

_*The Next Afternoon*_

"Are you sure they can handle this?" I ask Peeta for the umpteenth time since last night.

"Honey, I'm sure Phoenix and Ivy are going to have a great time with Grandpa Haymitch and Auntie Effie." He tells me as he lugs three bags filled with everything the twins could possibly need over mine and Peeta's weekend getaway.

"Jeez, did you two pack enough?" Haymitch asks as he lets us into his house via the back door.

"I wanted to make sure you and Effie are prepared for anything," I tell him as I put Ivy, who is seated in her car seat, on Haymitch's kitchen table. Haymitch pulls me in for a brief hug before he starts unbuckling Ivy from her car seat, knowing how much she hates her car seat. He picks her up and makes a funny face before he cradles her to his chest.

"Do I hear the Mellark family?" Effie asks as she enters Haymitch's kitchen.

"Effie! Hello," I say and we embrace in a hug. Next, she hugs Peeta, who had just placed Phoenix, strapped in his car seat, on the table.

"It's so good to see you two! It's been way to long! So much has happened! Katniss, you look as beautiful as ever! And Peeta, I see time is treating you well!" Effie rambles on for a few minutes before Haymitch quiets her with a snarky remark:

"Princess, I don't think they want to spend their anniversary listening to you babble."

"Oh, don't listen to him," I tell Effie.

"No, you two should be off. You wouldn't want to miss your train to District Four. It is lovely this time of year." Effie tells us.

"I wrote down the twins' usual schedule on a pad of paper that's in the diaper bag. Don't worry if you don't follow it exactly. That rarely ever happens." I say with a chuckle. "Thank you for watching them. It means a lot to us."

"It's no problem, sweetheart. I love spending time with your little rascals." Haymitch says as I hug him goodbye.

"And I am looking forward to getting to know your beautiful children," Effie says as we hug goodbye. I say thank you at least three more times before Peeta and I eventually get out the door and make our way to the train station.

It is a six hour train ride to District Four. And that's considered short because the trains move at such a lightning fast pace. Peeta and board the train and then store our luggage in the overhead compartments before settling down in a pair of seats.

The train is relatively quiet and rather empty. At four on the dot, the train begins its journey. I lay my head onto Peeta's shoulder and watch the world around us shift and change.

Haymitch's POV

Right after Katniss and Peeta left, all hell broke loose. Ivy and Phoenix both started to wail at a very high pitched volume. I love the two little buggers to death, but they really could be annoying sometimes. I picked up Phoenix and Effie took Ivy and we both started trying to decipher what was causing them to be unhappy. Phoenix's diaper wasn't dirty and Katniss has just fed them an hour ago. I began rocking Phoenix and patting him on the back, thinking that maybe he was experiencing some gas.

Effie was in the same situation I was. Ivy was neither dirty nor hungry. As I rocked Phoenix, I began fishing through the diaper bag, searching for the schedule Katniss had mentioned. I was hoping it would give us some clue as to why the twins were so upset. I grinned in triumph once I found it.

**6 a.m. – Wake up, change diapers, feed.**

**7:30 a.m. – Play time**

**8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Morning nap time.**

**11 a.m. – Wake up, change diapers, feed.**

**12 p.m. – 3 Tummy Time**

**3 p.m. – Change diapers and Feed**

**4 p.m. - Afternoon nap**

**6 p.m. – Wake up, change diapers, feed. **

**7 p.m. – 8 p.m. – Play time**

**8 p.m. – Feed and Change diapers**

**8:30 p.m. – Bed time**

**11 p.m. – Wake up, change diapers, feed.**

**12 a.m. – Bedtime**

**3 a.m. –Wake up, Change diapers, feed.**

"I know why their crying," I say triumphantly to Effie.

"Why?" She asks as she bounces Ivy in her arms.

"They're tired. According to their schedule, it's nap time." I say. Effie and I head upstairs to the room I morphed into their own. We put them in the crib and hope that they soon fall asleep. Our hopes are vanquished when they continue to cry.

"I have an idea," Effie says and, before I can ask what her idea is, she begins singing some unfamiliar song that's probably from the Capitol. Her voice is sweet and soothing and, before we know it, the babies are fast asleep.

"Princess, we are going to have an interesting weekend." I tell her as we watch the sleeping babies.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you loved it. I am a huge Hayfie fan so there might be a little fluff between them! :) Please review! Reviews make me happy! And who doesn't write faster when they're happy? I know I do! So, please review!<strong>


	21. Chapter 21

**Hello**, **Everyone! Here is the next chapter! Would've come a little sooner, but I had finals this week. On the upside, I'm out of school for the summer and can now write as much as I want! I'm so excited! Hope you love this chapter! I do not own The Hunger Games!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-One<span>

Haymitch's POV

_*The Next Morning*_

The sound of a high pitched cry awakens me from my sweet dreams. I groan before pulling myself from the covers and to the twins' bedroom. As I groggily stumble in, I notice that Effie has beaten me here. She is already cradling a crying baby to her chest, murmuring soft words of comfort.

"Good morning, Princess." I say to Effie as I walk closer to the crib.

"Good morning, Haymitch." Effie says to me. "She isn't wet and she shouldn't be hungry. It's only one in the morning."

"Here," I say, gesturing for her to hand me Ivy. I cradle her in my arms and rock her gently. Her cries cease instantly.

"She must prefer you," Effie says, a touch of sadness in her voice.

"They just don't know you yet. They'll warm up." I tell her. I place Ivy gently into the crib beside her brother when she is once again asleep. Effie and I, once again, take a moment to survey the sleeping babies. Their faces are completely content. Neither of them have a thing in the world to worry or care about. They are oblivious to the torture that the two adults before them have witnessed over so many years. They know nothing of their parents' struggles, whether they were before, during, or after the Hunger Games.

"I always wanted children," Effie says quietly, barely audible. It takes an effort to hide my shock. I never would have guessed that Effie Trinket, Capitol girl and Hunger Games escort, wanted to have children.

"Never met that special somebody?" I ask her, matching her barely audible tone. Out of the corner of my eye, I see her shake her head 'no'. I have the strange urge to wrap my arm around her shoulders, to comfort her in this somewhat sorrowful moment. I had never thought of having children myself. I was busy spending forty years trapped in a bottle.

"I'm going back to bed," Effie says quietly before exiting the room. I stand there in the dark and quiet room for a few more minutes before heading back to bed myself.

Effie's POV

I am awakened only a few more hours later by the cries of hungry babies. I get out of bed, make sure I look presentable, and go to check on the babies. I pass Haymitch's closed door and assume that he is still sleeping soundly.

In the twins' bedroom, I am greeted by their cries. I quickly scoop Phoenix up and place him on the changing table. I quickly change his dirty diaper and place him back in the crib so that I can change his sister's diaper. Once they are both wearing fresh diapers, I slowly and cautiously carry them both down to Haymitch's living room.

I was rather surprised when I arrived in District 12 to find Haymitch Abernathy sober and his house practically sparklingly clean. It all made sense when he told me of his joining of a twelve step program to get sober. I must say, I was rather delighted by this news!

Once I have Phoenix and Ivy situated in the playpen in the living room, I go into the kitchen to retrieve and heat up bottles of formula. I first cradle Ivy in my arms and feed her, murmuring softly to her as she suckles on the bottle.

I had always wanted children. I had always pictured myself with a beautiful baby girl that would share my love for fashion and always look gorgeous. But, I had always been afraid of raising my child in the country of Panem, with its powerful presidents and its cruel form of eternal punishment.

I suppose I could've settled down and had a family after the rebellion. Panem was a much safer and friendlier place to raise a family now with its democracy and the abolishment of the Hunger Games. But, alas, I never did find that special someone to spend the rest of my life with.

I sighed as Ivy finished her bottle. I brought her up to my shoulder and began patting her back, hoping to elicit a burp from her. She burped and I wiped the spit out from her chin before settling her back into the playpen and picking up her brother.

Phoenix took the bottle right away, staring up at me with his beautiful blue eyes as he suckled. I smiled down at him and hummed an old melody. Once he finished, I burped him and placed him back into the playpen. They had a few more hours of sleep to get in before their day officially began.

I settled myself on the couch with the next book I had started recently. Since the rebellion, I've had the time to get into new hobbies. Portia and I had joined a wedding planning business just a few years after the rebellion had ended. I must say that I've found it very enjoyable and fulfilling over the years.

I am just finishing my book when I hear Haymitch's soft footfalls above. I sigh and pull myself from the couch, deciding that I should be nice and make him some breakfast. First, I start a pot of coffee. Next, I open the fridge and pull out the carton of eggs. I take a frying pan from one of the cupboards and begin to fry the eggs.

"Good morning, Princess." Haymitch mumbles just as I sliding the eggs onto plates. I place a plate and a cup of coffee in front of him and he mumbles a thank you. I am glad he's tired and not hung-over.

"Did you have any plans for today?" I ask him as I take a seat across from him. He shakes his head and I start to ponder the things we could possibly do today. "Did Katniss and Peeta bring you their stroller?" I ask him.

"Katniss brought everything we could possibly need for the next three years," Haymitch replies with a smirk.

"Maybe later this afternoon when it warms up we could all go for a little walk," I suggest and Haymitch nods his head a bit. Haymitch offers to take care of the dishes and I go to check on the twins.

Phoenix is lying quietly awake in the playpen. I scoop him up into my arms and take him to the changing table to change his dirty diaper. I am just reaching for a fresh diaper when I feel a warm liquid come into contact with my skin. Phoenix giggles softly as he continues to launch a steady stream of urine at me. I grab a diaper and use it to stop the stream.

"What's all the commotion out here?" Haymitch asks casually as he walks into the living room.

"Phoenix just urinated on me," I say in the most composed voice I can possibly manage at the moment. Haymitch bursts out into a huge, uncontrollable fit of laughter. I roll my eyes at him and hand him the urine soaked diaper before going upstairs to take a shower. Even sober, Haymitch Abernathy is the most infuriating man on the face of the Earth.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you loved it! PLEASE REVIEW! Please? :)<strong>

**Questions: What would you guys think of a Hayfie fanfic? What about a Pokemon/Hunger Games crossover? Just some stuff I've been thinkin' bout. :)**

**P.S. You guys are the best fans EVER!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hello, Everyone! I was in a writing kinda mood and I just wanted to update ASAP. Hope you like it! I don't own The Hunger Games!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Two<span>

Haymitch's POV

I am playing a rather boring game of peek-a-boo with Ivy when I hear the shower shut off upstairs. Just thinking about Effie Trinket covered in urine makes me start to laugh. My laughter makes Ivy giggle quietly and pick her up, twirling her around and making airplane noises.

"Haymitch, be careful." I hear Effie say as she enters the room.

"Ah, the Pee Princess returns!" I chuckle as I sit back down on the couch. She just rolls her eyes at me and huffs in her annoyed tone. "Oh, c'mon, have a sense of humor!"

"I'm sure you wouldn't be laughing if you had been the one covered in urine." She huffs at me.

"You're right. You would've been laughing. And don't try to deny it because I know you would." I tell her. She smiles before she can stop it. I chuckle in victory as I adjust Ivy in my arms so that she is lying on my chest.

"You're so good with them," She tells me as she watches us.

"They just like me for some odd reason," I joke.

"You really are a natural," She says and I shrug. "I bet you would've been a great father." This comment makes heat rush to my face and I find it difficult to swallow. I had never really considered myself the "father" type. Then again, I never thought I'd be in the position I am now: A baby girl on my chest and Effie Trinket sitting next to me.

I open my mouth to speak but, instead of my voice, Phoenix's cry is heard in the room. Effie gets up and scoops Phoenix out of the playpen. She sits back down, cradling the now silent baby boy in her arms.

"I think he likes you," I tell her with a sly smile.

"What makes you think that, the way he peed on me?" She asks and I nod, suppressing laughter. Effie rolls her eyes at me once more and readjusts Phoenix so that he is eye level with her shoulder. She bounces him lightly, which emits a giggle from the baby boy. I turn my attention back to Ivy, starting a new gave of peek-a-boo.

"Ouch!" Effie shouts suddenly, which causes both babies to begin wailing.  
>"What is it?" I ask her, slightly annoyed that the peace has been disturbed.<p>

"He's got a hold on my wig," She says, trying to pry his little fingers from her sea-green curls. I roll my eyes at the stupid Capitol fashions. I quickly place crying Ivy in the playpen and go back over to the couch to help Effie. Together we manage to pry Phoenix, who is still wailing, from her hair. Effie's wig comes off when we pry Phoenix away and I am momentarily mesmerized by her golden blonde curls. I recover quickly, pulling Phoenix into my arms and bouncing him light in an attempt to quiet his cries. Once he has stopped crying, I hand him to Effie and move onto Ivy. It takes a few more minutes to calm her down than it did Phoenix. Soon, both babies are calm once more and a peaceful silence enters the room.

At 8:30, Effie and I put Phoenix and Ivy down for their morning nap in the playpen. Effie and I go through the house, cleaning up small stuff that had fallen out of place over the morning. I decide to take a shower and get ready for the walk that Effie mentioned earlier.

I am rummaging through my closet, trying to decide what to wear today, having just finished my shower. I have the radio playing in the background, drowning out the sound of Effie vacuuming my house. I pull on a shirt and the plastic hanger is flung to the ground. I sigh in annoyance and bend down to pick it up. At just the time that I am straightening up, an oblivious Effie walks into the room, vacuum in tow. When she notices my lack of clothing, she squeaks in shock and turns a very bright red. I cover myself with the shirt in my hand at the same time that she covers her eyes.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry! I didn't . . . I just thought you were already back downstairs!" She says her tone filled with obvious embarrassment.

"It's fine, really." I tell her as I pull on pair of jeans. "You can open your eyes now." I say and she tentatively uncovers her eyes.

"I'm just going to go pick up the kitchen," She says and, I swear, it's like she can't leave the room fast enough.

Effie's POV

Oh, dear heavens! I've just walked in a naked Haymitch Abernathy. I've seen that man in a lot of situations over the years as District 12's escort, but _never _have I seen that man stark naked. I feel heat rush to my cheeks as I think about the whole situation.

I busy myself with scrubbing down the counters as I hear Haymitch descend the steps. I hear him enter the kitchen and I start the scrub faster.

"Princess, the counters are already spotless." He says. I know he is right, but I would much rather scrub these counters than face him at this moment.

"Effie –" He is cut off by Ivy's cries. I put down the sponge I had been scrubbing with a hurry into the living room, Haymitch following not far behind me. I pick Ivy up and, after determining that she is not wet, I begin bounce her lightly.

"Are you going to ignore me for the rest of the weekend now?" Haymitch asks me, leaning against the arm of the couch. I briefly make eye contact with him, his grey Seam eyes peering into my soul.

"Effie, it was really no big deal. It's not like it was the first time you've ever seen a naked man." He says. He's right, but it doesn't make the embarrassment any less.

"Why don't we wake Phoenix up and go for that walk you suggested?" He asks me. I think for a moment before handing him Ivy and going to wake up Phoenix.

An hour later, we are all ready to go on our walk. It is a warm, autumn day, but I still dress the twins in warmer clothes. Haymitch pushes Ivy and I push Phoenix. We got around Victor's Village first and then head out farther into the district. The district is beautiful this time of year. The trees are the warm reds, oranges, and browns that remind me of Thanksgiving. All the harvesting is being done so the town square is abundant with fresh fruits and vegetables. Hayrides are offered to families and children run around playing all sorts of sporting games.

"It's been a long time since I've been able to enjoy District 12 in autumn. It really is beautiful." Haymitch says as he takes in the world around us.

"How have you been doing? With being sober," I ask him, hoping he doesn't view it as rude.

"It's been hard, but Peeta and Katniss have been nothing but supportive. And now I couldn't imagine not being able to be around for these two little rascals!" He replies, tickling Ivy's tummy and emitting a giggle from her.

"I'm proud of you, you know. I always knew you could do it with the right motivation." I tell him as we stop beneath a big oak tree.

"Thank you," He says. I am unaware of what supernatural power possesses me at this moment. I don't know why this is happening. I just feel this pull towards this man that I hated for so much of our relationship. But, nevertheless, I lean in and my lips brush against his.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry, I couldn't resisted! I'm a little bit obsessed with Hayfie. Dont ask why, its just one of those weird things. I hope you liked this chapter and please review! I love getting review! They make me so so so so so so so happy! It might be a few days before I update again but hopefully I have a few chapters for you when I finally do update! I love you all! You're the best!<strong>


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! I had got some amazing writing done this weekend! Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games :'(  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Three<span>

Haymitch's POV

My heart begins pounding against my ribcage in shock. Effie's lips are soft against mine and I can't help but desire more of her. She starts to pull away from me, but I don't want her to. I wrap my arms around her and pull her closer to me. Our kiss deepens as I slip my tongue into her mouth. Her fingers tangle in my hair as our tongues duel for dominance. Unfortunately, the need for oxygen forces us apart.

"Haymitch, I –" Effie begins, but I cut her off.

"Don't you dare apologize," I tell her, trying to catch my breath. "That was amazing," I say and she blushes a very deep shade of red.

"You can't tell me you didn't enjoy that," I tease and Effie's blush deepens and her appearance rivals that of a ripened tomato. "Well?"

"It was nice, I suppose," She responds, keeping her composure up.

"Why don't we go for round two and see what you think then?" I tease, taking a step closer to her.

"I don't think so," She replies and, for some odd reason, this stings just a bit. I nod in response, trying to swallow away that tight feeling that has emerged in my throat, and turn back to the twins. I pick Ivy up out of the stroller and sit down on a nearby bench. Effie scoops Phoenix out of the stroller and sits down beside me.

"I didn't mean to offend you, Haymitch." She tells me.

"Don't worry about it, Princess. You kissed me first." I tell her, placing Ivy back into her stroller.

"Now that I think about it, I did rather enjoy that kiss." She says, putting Phoenix back into his stroller and sliding closer to me on the bench.

"Of course you did. I'm a good kisser." I reply and I can just picture Effie rolling her gorgeous blue eyes at me. I can feel the nervous tension radiating between us.

"Princess, do you think that maybe we could go out to dinner sometim together?" I ask, my voice shaking with nervous tension.

"Is Haymitch Abernathy asking Effie Trinket out on a date?" She asks, her blue eyes sparkling like crystals.

"I guess I am," I reply, giving her my cocky smile.

"I would be honored to go out with you sometime," She answers and I can't help the smile that crosses my face.

"So, what about that kiss you offered?" She inquires. I smile and lean into her, pressing my lips against hers gently. I can feel her lips turn upward into a smile as she tangles her fingers into my hair and pulls me closer to her. I cup her face with my hands as she slips her tongue into my mouth. My hands move from her face to wrap around her petite body, pulling her as close I possibly can. All too soon, Effie pulls away, her hands resting on my chest.

"Amazing, Princess," I breathe. She opens her mouth, wanting to say something, when Phoenix's cry interrupts her. She scoops him up and cradles him in her arms.

"I think this little guy wants to go home," She says as Phoenix continues to cry softly.

"Then let's go home," I say as I stand up. As we walk through District 12, pushing Ivy and Phoenix in their strollers, I grab her hand and we intertwine our fingers.

Back at home, Effie prepares us dinner as I ready the twins for their afternoon nap. Phoenix falls asleep right away, but it takes Ivy a bit longer to get settled down. Once I manage to get Ivy to fall asleep, I head back downstairs to enjoy Effie's company. I kiss her neck playfully as she spins a freshly prepared salad.

"Haymitch Abernathy!" She half shrieks, half giggles at me.

"You are gorgeous, Princess." I murmur against her skin.

"Thank you, Mr. Abernathy. I do believe dinner is ready," She tells me and we move out onto the patio.

"How long were you planning on staying in District 12?" I ask Effie once we have started eating.

"I have to be back at work by Tuesday morning," She says, a touch of regret in her tone.

"Too bad you couldn't stay longer." I say, smilingly sadly.

"Maybe you could come visit me sometime," Effie suggests and this turns my smile into one of happiness.

"That would great, Princess." I say and we continue our lunch.

After dinner, Effie and I retire to the living room and watch some TV. Sitting together on the couch, my arm wrapped around her shoulders, makes me feel like my life has once again gained a little normalcy after so many years of chaos and death. I turn my head slightly and breathe in the scent of Effie's strawberry shampoo.

At seven p.m., Effie and I wake Phoenix and Ivy up for an hour of play time before we feed and change them again and put them down for the night. Effie attempts a game of peek-a-boo with Phoenix, but he doesn't seem to want to cooperate. Effie seems rather disappointed over this.

"Here," I say, handing her Ivy. "You take Ivy, she loves playing peek-a-boo. I'll take the boring one."

We spend the next hour keeping the twins busy. We're hoping to tire them out enough that they would sleep longer tonight than they did last night. I rather enjoy listening to both Effie and Ivy giggle as they go about their game. It makes me wish that we had realized our feelings for each other sooner. Then we could have had a family together.

"I think these two are tired," Effie says and we go upstairs and settled them into bed.

"I don't know about you, but I am exhausted." Effie tells me after we have put the twins down for the night.

"I'm tired, too, Princess." I say as I wrap my arm around her. We kiss goodnight and part for the night. That night, I dream of nothing more than my Princess.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you loved it! Please Review! I love reviews! They make me happy :D <strong>


	24. Chapter 24

**Hey, Everyone! I hope you like this chapter. Disclaimer: I don't own THG  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Four<span>

Katniss' POV

"I hope my babies are okay," I say as Peeta and I walk to Haymitch's house.

"Katniss, I guarantee that the twins are okay. How could anything have gone bad with Haymitch and Effie taking care of them?" He replies.

"I just hope they didn't kill each other. Surely, you remember how those two are together." I tell him.

"That was when Haymitch drank. Maybe they don't mind each other that much now that he's sober." Peeta suggests as we walk up to Haymitch's house.

"I can't imagine those two actually liking each other." I say as I let myself into the house. I almost choke on my own saliva as I take in the scene we walked in on. Haymitch and Effie are seated on the couch, making out like a couple of teenagers.

"I told you they didn't hate each other that much." Peeta says. Peeta's words alert Effie and Haymitch to our presence and they pull away from each other, their faces clearly showing their embarrassment.

"Oh, well, welcome back you two!" Effie says as she stands up and fixes her skirt.

"I take it you guys had a good weekend," I tease.

"That we did," Haymitch replies, wrapping his arm around Effie's shoulders.

"So are you two like an item now?" I ask as I sit on the arm of Haymitch's couch.

"I guess you could say that," Haymitch replies and Effie blushes.

"I'm happy for you two! It looks like everyone's falling in love lately," Peeta says.

"Speaking of love, I would love to see my babies," I say and Effie takes me up to where the twins are napping.

Peeta's POV

"So what happened this weekend?" I ask Haymitch.

"Nothing much, we took the twins for a walk yesterday." He replies, missing the actual point of my question.

"I meant what happened between you and Effie," I clarify.

"Oh, well, I honestly don't know what happened. I had fel funny all weekend and when she kissed me yesterday in the par Things just escalated from there." He explained.

"I'm really happy for you guys. It's nice to see you so happy after all these years." I tell him.

"Thanks, kiddo. I'm happy I can be here for you guys and the twins." Haymitch says.

"And Effie," I add, giving him a sly smile.

"And Effie," He repeats, a smile crossing his face.

Katniss' POV

"So, you and Haymitch hit it off this weekend I guess." I say as Effie and I stand over the twins' crib.

"I guess we did," She replies, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"I never expected you two to fall in love," I say as I pick Ivy up out of the crib.

"Neither did I, but it just sort o happened." Effie replies as she picks Phoenix up.

"I know what that feels like," I tell her with a chuckle. Together, we head back downstairs to the men.

"Well, we really should be going. It's getting close to feeding time." I say after a few minutes of conversation with Effie and Haymitch. Peeta goes to take Phoenix from Effie, but he doesn't want to let her go.

"Phoenix, buddy, we gotta go home." Peeta says gently as he and Effie try to pry Phoenix's strong little fingers from Effie's shirt. They manage to pull him from Effie but he begins to wail loudly.

"I think he might like you," Peeta jokes as he bounces Phoenix lightly in an attempt to shush his cries.

"You might have to come and visit more often now," I tell Effie.

"Oh, I would absolutely love to! I had the greatest time with these two this weekend. Of course I'll visit! I already miss them!" Effie says as she kisses the top of each of the twins' heads.

"Maybe Katniss, Peeta, and the kids could come with me when I come to visit you in the Capitol." Haymitch suggests.

"Oh, that sounds perfect!" Effie exclaims.

"That sounds like a fun trip." Peeta says.

"You will all most definitely have to come and visit me! My apartment is plenty big enough for us all! Of course, I'll have to get some baby stuff for the twins, but that's no problem at all!" Effie exclaims.

"Then its official, we're going to visit you." Peeta say.

"Oh, that's great! Just give me a ring before you head my way and I'll be ready for you all. Whenever is good for you is good for me." Effie tells us.

"Sounds good," I say. "Now, we really must be off." Hugs and kisses and farewells go around and it's another ten minutes before Peeta and I manage to get the twins home.

"I still can't believe that Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket are dating!" I exclaim. It truly is a mind boggling development. Seventeen years ago, it was plain to everyone in Panem how much Haymitch and Effie hated each other. He hated her Capitol fashion and accent and just the fact that she was a product of the Capitol. She hated his drinking and lack of manners and couldn't stand seeing him. Now, they couldn't get enough of each other. That was obvious from their face sucking that I had witnessed earlier.

Love was definitely in the air. Johanna and Nash were getting married in just a few months. Haymitch and Effie were hopelessly captivated by each other. And as for me and Peeta, our hearts were filled to their capacities with love for everyone around us.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you like this chapter. Please review! They fuel my genius!<strong>


	25. Chapter 25

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it! Disclaimer: I still don't own THG  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Five<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Two Months Later*_

The sound of my daughter's high pitched cry awakens me from my deep slumber. I turn to look at the clock by my bedside: One a.m. I pull myself from my warm bed and head to Ivy's bedroom. I pick Ivy up out of her crib and establish that she isn't wet. Since I know Katniss fed the twins only an hour ago, there is no way that she's hungry. I figure she just wants some attention and I sit down in the rocking chair so I can spend some quality time with my daughter.

"Peeta, what's wrong?" Katniss asks as she comes into Ivy's bedroom. Ivy's been crying nonstop for twenty minutes and nothing I do seems to quiet her down the least bit.

"I don't know. She won't stop crying." I tell Katniss as she takes the baby from my arms.

"Did you check her diaper?" She asks me.

"Of course I did," I tell her.

"Maybe she's hungry again." Katniss says.

"You just fed her barely over an hour ago," I reply.

"Oh, Peeta, does she feel warm to you?" Katniss asks me, placing my hand on Ivy's tiny forehead.

"A little bit," I reply, looking up at Katniss with concern.

"Peeta, what do we do?" Katniss asks and I can see the fear in her eyes.

"Okay, you call the 24 hour nurse hotline and I'll try to get her to calm down a little bit." I suggest. Katniss nods in agreement and goes to call the nurse hotline. Ten minutes later, she comes back into the bedroom.

"What'd the nurse say?" I ask her.

"She says we should take her temperature and to call back if it's over 102 degrees. But, if it's under that, then we should just give her baby aspirin and wait it out." Katniss tells me. "Oh, she also said that we should keep Phoenix and Ivy separate so that he doesn't get whatever she has, too."

"Maybe I should take Phoenix over to Haymitch's so that we're sure he won't catch whatever Ivy has." I suggest. Katniss agrees and I get Phoenix ready and head over to Haymitch's house.

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _It takes a few minutes of knocking before Haymitch lets us in.

"What brings you two here?" He asks, still groggy from sleep.

"Ivy is sick and I was wondering if you would watch Phoenix for us so he doesn't get sick, too." I tell him.

"Okay, come on in. I'll be happy to watch the little bugger for ya." He says as I hand him Phoenix.

"Thanks, Haymitch. I gotta get back to Katniss and Ivy. Thanks again." I say and I kiss Phoenix on the head before leaving Haymitch's house.

Back at home, Katniss has taken Ivy's temperature: 100 degrees. So we get the baby aspirin out. It's a nasty tasting liquid concoction and it takes us over an hour to get Ivy to swallow it. Katniss and I are in for a long night.

Haymitch's POV

"So, I guess it's just me and you tonight." I say as I pull him from his carrier. I carry him upstairs and put him to bed in his crib.

"Sleep tight, little fireball." I whisper to him as his eyes begin to once again droop from tiredness.

Peeta's POV

It's three a.m. the time Katniss would usually feed the twins. Phoenix is at Haymitch's and Ivy is adamantly against eating at all. She has spent the last two hours crying nonstop. Nothing Katniss or I do seem to sooth her in any way whatsoever.

I can clearly tell how exhausted Katniss is. She's been trying for hours to get Ivy to eat, but she just refuses.

"Katniss, honey, you should go lay down for a little while. I can take care of Ivy on my own for a little bit." I tell her.

"No, Peeta. I'm fine, really." She replies, but I shush her.

"Katniss, I can tell how tired you are. Go get some sleep. Ivy and I will be fine on our own for a few hours. You need the sleep." I push.

"Okay," she says and heads towards our bedroom.

I take Ivy downstairs, hoping to minimalize our disturbance to Katniss' sleep. Ivy has finally toned down her crying to where she is just sniffling lightly. At four a.m., I give her more baby aspirin. This time it doesn't take as long for her to take it as it did earlier.

Haymitch's POV

Phoenix's cries wake me. I pull myself out of bed and automatically go and get Phoenix from his crib. Together, we head downstairs and I heat up a bottle of formula for him. I sit down on my couch and feed him, gently rocking him in my arms as he suckles formula from the bottle.

Feeding Phoenix makes me think of Effie. Oh, how much I miss that fine woman. Over the last two months, we've only gotten to speak to each other over the phone for a total of about four hours. She's been so busy with her new job and, well, I haven't had much to do. Effie seems to really love her new job and I'm so happy she found something that she likes. It's definitely better than escorting young teenagers to their death.

Phoenix finishes the bottle and I change his diaper. Once he has a full tummy and fresh diaper, I rock him gently to sleep and place him back in his crib. I wish Effie was here.

Peeta's POV

Around six a.m., Katniss comes back downstairs looking completely refreshed.

"How is my baby girl doing this morning?" She asks as she sits down on the couch next to me.

"Well, her temperature has gone down." I tell her.

"It has! Oh, Peeta that's great!" Katniss exclaims, happy to hear that her baby girl is getting better.

"Looks like we're getting pretty good at this parenting thing," I say as I wrap my arm around Katniss' shoulders.

* * *

><p><strong>Hoped you loved it! Sorry about so much Hayfie. I've crossed the line to obsession. Anyhow! I would very much appreciate it if you reviewed! :D<strong>


	26. Chapter 26

**Hey, Everyone! Another chapter :D! So exciting. Hope you enjoy. Disclaimer: I now own the HUNGER GAMES! Haha, just kidding. I don't own anything :(**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Six<span>

Katniss' POV

_*One Month Later*_

Today is the day before Johanna and Nash's wedding. Haymitch, Peeta, the twins, and I arrived in District 7 early this morning. The twins are fast asleep from the very long train ride. Haymitch is nervously awaiting Effie's arrival.

"I don't think I've ever seen Haymitch Abernathy this nervous before," I tease as he starts pacing in the common room of our hotel suite.

"She said her train was arriving at nine and it's already nine-thirty." He says, now starting to bite his fingernails.

"Haymitch, don't worry so much. I'm sure there was just a little delay or . . ." Peeta starts.

"I should've offered to go pick her up. What if she's having trouble getting her bags? Or what if she got mugged? Or –" Haymitch rambles on until I cut him off.

"Haymitch, I'm sure she's perfectly fine. In no time at all, she's gonna walk through the door and you two are gonna kiss like a couple of teenagers." I tell him. I have barely finished my sentence when the door to our suite opens up and Effie walks in with a hodge-podge of bags.

"Effie," Haymitch breathes before he practically runs over to her and wraps her in his arms. She drops her bags and wraps her arms around him. They kiss for a few minutes before finally breaking apart.

"You guys done sucking face for a while?" I ask in a teasing manner. Haymitch makes a 'thinking face' for a minute before shaking his head and kissing Effie once more.

Effie's POV

"Haymitch, I've missed you so much." I tell him as he pulls his lips from mine.

"I've missed you, too." He replies, brushing a stray hair out of my face.

"Three months is too long," I whisper, running my hand over his stubbly face.

"Way too long," He says, turning his face and kissing the palm of my hand. I take his hand and lead him to the couch.

"How have you been?" He asks me, kissing my neck lightly.

"Okay, I suppose. Work has been busy, but good." I tell him, leaning into his kisses. "How have you been?"

"I've been a bit lonely." He sighs, nuzzling his nose against neck.

"I'm sorry," I tell him, pulling his face from my neck and looking into his beautiful blue eyes.

"It's not your fault," He tells me. "I just wish you were closer."

"I know. I wish I was closer, too." I tell him, running my fingers through his hair.

Katniss' POV

"Katniss," Johanna exclaims as she notices my presence. Peeta and I just headed downstairs with the twins to see Johanna and Nash. And to give Effie and Haymitch some time alone.

"Johanna," I reply as we embrace.

"Can you believe I'm getting married in 24 hours?" She asks me.

"Not really," I reply with a chuckle as she embraces me again.

"Oh, these must be the babies!" Johanna exclaims.

"This is Phoenix," I say as I readjust Phoenix in my arms. "And that's Ivy." I say pointing to the baby Peeta is holding. Johanna and Peeta hug and then we all start chattering about everything that's happened since Johanna and Nash's engagement party. Nash, like usual, is quieter than the rest of us.

Around noon, everyone gets together in the hotel's restaurant. Nash's parents and his five siblings, Haymitch and Effie, Johanna and Nash, and Peeta, our babies, and I crowded around a table is quite a sight to be seen. Effie and Haymitch have been monopolizing Phoenix and Ivy since they arrived. I do love seeing my babies with Effie and Haymitch because I want them to grow up viewing them as family.

Later that night, Peeta and I left the twins with Haymitch and Effie so that we can go out with Johanna and Nash. Nash's brothers were throwing him a Bachelor party and his sisters were throwing Johanna a Bachelorette party.

Haymitch's POV

I watch as Effie plays with Phoenix and Ivy. I am surprised by how much I've missed her these last few months.

"Haymitch," I don't realize I'm staring until Effie breaks my concentration.

"What's up?" I ask her.

"Well, I think it's about time these two got to bed." She tells. Together, we get the twins to sleep and quietly head back to the living room.

"I missed this," Effie tells me as we recline together on the large, tan couch, her head on my lap.

"Me too," I reply as I run my fingers through her blonde curls.

"Haymitch, can I run something by you?" She asks, rolling onto her back so that she is looking up at me.

"Of course, Princess," I tell her.

"I've been thinking of moving to District 12," She says tentatively, sitting up. I look down at her in shock, not believing what I am hearing. I open my mouth to reply, but the only sounds I make are the farthest things from actual words.

"What do you think about that, Haymitch?" Effie asks me and I can hear the fear in her voice, like she's afraid I'm not going to absolutely love having her closer.

"I love it! absolutely love the idea!" I exclaim as I pull her into my arms for a hug.

"I'm glad. I was afraid . . ."

"You don't have anything to be afraid of." I tell her, cutting her off. She smiles at me and leans in for a kiss.

"I love you," I whisper against her lips as they brush mine. Our lips meet in a fiery passion.

"I love you, too, Haymitch Abernathy." She replies once our lips part. Things are finally looking up again.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you liked it! Please review! :D Thanks for reading! Love you guys!<strong>


	27. Chapter 27

**Hey, Everyone! I hope you are all doing swimmingly! Aren't you all glad summer is here? Now I can write all I want! yay! Disclaimer: Don't own THG.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Seven<span>

Katniss' POV

I am standing at the end of the aisle created by the rows of fold up chairs. I am wearing a forest green, floor length dress and tan heels. My head aches a bit from the drinking I did last night. I can honestly say that I did not miss hangovers in my year of not drinking.

"I'm so nervous," Johanna says. The music starts playing and Nash's sister, Magnolia, begin walking down the aisle.

"Johanna, everything is gonna be fine. You love him, he loves you. That's all that matters." I reassure her. Nash's other sister, Maple, starts her descent down the aisle.

"Thank you, Katniss. I don't know what I would do without you." She tells me and we hug briefly before it's my turn to head down the aisle. As I walk down the aisle, I can hear Phoenix and Ivy's squeals of delight at my presence. But, my mind is not on solely them right now. It is centered on Peeta, who is standing at the alter staring at me. This reminds me so much of our own wedding so many years ago and I can't believe how much has happened since that day.

I reach the altar and everyone turns their attention to Johanna as she starts walking towards the man she loves. Her dress is strapless and floor length, which ruffles around the train. She looks absolutely stunning. Johanna and Nash's eyes are locked on one another. It is clear to everyone present how much these two love each other.

The ceremony last less than an hour and then we are all on our way to the reception at _The Canopy Hotel and Reception Hall_, which is also where Effie, Haymitch, Peeta, the twins and I are staying. The reception hall in the hotel has been magnificently transformed into a sort of romantic forest. The room is lined with palm trees and the ceiling literally looks like a tropical forest canopy. In the middle of the room, there is a spectacular water fountain surrounded by a string of colorful paper lanterns. Each table has a centerpiece made up of rare, tropical flowers. The whole place leaves me with my jaw dropped.

Effie's POV

"Oh, isn't this just the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?" I ask Haymitch as we survey the beautiful reception hall.

"No," He replies as he pulls me into his strong arms. "_You_ are definitely the _most beautiful _thing I've ever laid eyes on." His flattery makes the heat rush to my face. He chastely kisses my lips and I can't help but want his lips to never leave mine.

"I love you," I tell him, loving the feel of those words leaving my lips.

"I love you, too, Princess." He tells me, a sparkle in his eyes. He intertwines his fingers with mine and we head towards our table. A few moments later, Peeta, Katniss, and the twins join us and then dinner starts being served.

"So, Princess, you gonna tell the kids what you decided last night?" Haymitch asks me.

"What did you decide?" Peeta inquires.

"Oh, well, I have decided to move to District 12." I say, dabbing the corners of my mouth with my napkin.

"Effie, that's wonderful!" Peeta exclaims.

"How soon do you think you'll be moving?" Katniss asks.

"Oh, I'm not sure. It might be a while yet. I do have to get my affairs in order. I need to look for a job first, of course." I tell them.

"You're welcome to a job at the bakery if you're interested." Peeta offers and I am awfully grateful because I honestly had no idea where I would get a job in District 12.

"Oh, I think I might have to take you up on the offer." I reply.

A waiter comes around and drops a bottle of champagne off at our table, directly in front of Haymitch. I can feel him tense up next to me. His fist clenches and his fingernails dig into the flesh of his palm. I can tell he wants it and that he's fighting against the temptation.

"You're okay, Haymitch." I tell him as I reassuringly place my hand over his still clenched fist. At my touch, I feel his body relax a bit. I rub my thumb over the back of his hand soothingly. Peeta, always the good mind reader, stands up and removes the bottle of champagne from our table. At the bottles disappearance, Haymitch visibly relaxes. I move my hand from his hand to his hair and I scoot closer to him.

"Are you okay?" I ask, whispering into his ear. He nods and his lips twitch up into a smile. "I love you," I whisper to him, my nose nuzzling his cheek.

"I love you, too, Effie." He responds, a slight waver in his voice. He turns his head slightly and I trap his lips in a kiss. I can feel him smile into our kiss. Just as we pull apart, Ivy squeals in delight and Haymitch smiles at this. Katniss passes her to him and he sits with his granddaughter on his lap, tugging lightly on his hair. Katniss hands me Phoenix as she goes off to find Peeta.

"Thank you," He says to me.

"I didn't do much," I reply.

"Don't be modest, Ef. If you weren't here, I don't think I could've resisted." He says and I can see the glint of tears behind his eyes.

"You don't give yourself enough credit. _You, _Haymitch Abernathy, decided to get sober. That is something that should be commended." I tell him, running my hand over his stubble.

"I'm just so afraid that I won't be able to do this. I'm afraid I'm going to mess up and disappoint everyone." He says, a single tear escaping from his steeled façade.

"I know, sweetheart. But we aren't going to be disappointed. We'll understand. I can only imagine how hard this is for you." I tell him.

"I just don't want to screw this up." He says, his voice trembling.

"I know, but I believe in you." I tell him. Peeta and Katniss come back to the table and we return Phoenix and Ivy to them. Haymitch wants us to go outside for a few minutes.

"Effie, you have no idea how happy I've been for the last few months." He says once we're outside, grasping my hands in his.

"I've been very happy, too." I tell him.

"I've never been this happy in my life. Never," He admits. "Being around you makes me feel like I did before the Games. I feel hopeful an can't explain it."

"And you have no idea how happy I am to hear that I make you feel like this." I tell him.

"Effi love being with you. I love holding you in my arms. I love kissing your lips. I love talking to you. I love your hair. I love your eyes. I love everything about you." He says. Then, he drops to one knee. "Effie Trinket, will you marry me?"

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you loved it! Ik ik Cliffhanger! I'm evil :) Please Review!<strong>


	28. Chapter 28

**HEY, everyone! Next chapter! I hope you're all excited! Disclaimer: I don't own THG  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Eight<span>

Effie's POV

My heart stops for a minute. Haymitch Abernathy has just proposed to me. My brain can't seem to process this piece of information. I feel as if I have been frozen in time.

"Effie, ar-are you okay?" Haymitch asks me tentatively. All I can seem to manage is a nod.

"Yes," I say once I can finally form words. "Yes, I will marry you, Haymitch Abernathy." I can see the relief flood onto his face.

"Princess, you have no idea how happy I am that you said yes." He tells me as he wraps his strong arms around me.

"I love you," I mumble into his suit jacket.

"I love you, too, Princess." He replies, kissing the top of my head.

"I suppose we should get back to the party," I tell him as we pull apart from each other.

"I'd rather we stayed out here," Haymitch replies as he pulls me back into his arms.

"Now, Mr. Abernathy, you know that's bad manners." I tell him in a half-teasing tone.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to be known as the man without manners," He replies, matching my tone.

"I'll let you dance with me if you come back inside," I tell him.

"Oh, how can I refuse an offer like that?" He says as he follows me back into the reception hall. Inside, practically everyone is on the dance floor. Even Katniss and Peeta managed to get out on the dance floor with the twins.

"Miss Trinket, may I have this dance?" Haymitch asks me, offering me his hand.

"You may, Mr. Abernathy." I respond, taking his hand. He spins me as we make our way onto the dance floor. He pulls me towards him, one hand resting on my waist. We move with the rhythm of the music.

"You know, Princess, you look absolutely stunning in this dress." He tells me and I blush. It had taken me several hours of shopping to choose the teal dress that I am wearing now.

"Why, thank you. You look rather dashing in that suit of yours." I tell him. There has always been something about a man in a suit that got my blood pumping, but Haymitch Abernathy in a suit is the sexiest thing I've ever seen on this earth. There's something about his stubbly face and disheveled hair coupled with a finely tailored suit that just spikes my blood.

"What are you thinking about, Princess?" He asks me, pulling me just a bit closer to him.

"Just how sexy you look in when you're all dressed up." I tell him, running my hand over his rough cheek.

"You think I look sexy?" He asks me, a cocky smile forming on his face.

"I happen to, yes." I tell him, kissing his lips gently.

"Just between you and me, I think you look sexy, too." He whispers in my ear.

"Do you now?" I reply.

"I do," He growls lowly in my ear before nipping at my earlobe. My breathing hitches and heat rushes to my face.

"Haymitch, we're in a public place." I tell him.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but it's partially your fault for picking a dress that hugs your body in all the right places." He whispers in my ear and then kisses the spot just behind my ear.

"I think we should go upstairs," Haymitch growls in my ear.

"I think we should stay down here," I tell him, my heart beating powerfully against my ribcage.

"I'm not saying we have to sleep together. I just want to be alone for a little bit before the kids bring their kids upstairs." He explains.

"I don't know, Haymitch." I tell him, shaking my head slightly.

"Ef, I promise I won't try anything. I just want to spend some quality alone time with my beautiful fiancé." He tells me. The way he calls me his fiancé makes my heart skip a beat.

"Okay, but no sex." I tell him sternly.

"Yes, ma'am," He replies and we head upstairs.

Once we're upstairs, Haymitch and I part so we can both change into something more comfortable than our wedding attire. I check my hair several times before heading back out into the living room. Haymitch is already reclining on the couch, watching some reality TV show. He's wearing a white T-shirt and green and blue plaid pajama pants.

I walk over to him and sit in the space between his legs. One of his hands instantly goes to my hair and his fingers twirl my hair around. I recline into his chest and take in his scent. I cannot believe how much I missed this once completely infuriating man. I cannot believe that we have grown to actually love each other after so many years of hatred. I cannot believe that we are going to get married.

"We get to plan a wedding," I murmur softly as I think about it.

"I want you to have your dream wedding," Haymitch says, the hand that was playing with my hair moving down to rub my thigh.

"What? You don't care about our wedding?" I ask him.

"Of course I care. I just don't care that much for the material things. As long as I'm married to you by the end of the day, everything is good." He tells me.

"So you have no opinion whatsoever?" I ask him.

"No mahogany tables," He says, suppressing a snicker.

"Oh, you're so funny," I remark sarcastically.

"Okay, all joking aside, I would prefer a smaller wedding opposed to a bigger one." He says, kissing my head.

"See, you have input!" I tell him.

"Princess, as long as you're happy, I'm happy. Happy wife, happy life," He replies with a chuckle.

* * *

><p><strong>Hoped you liked it! I'm sorry if you're not a Hayfie fan! But I'm obsessed! Please Review?<strong>


	29. Chapter 29

**Hello, All. Here's the next chapter! Hope ya like it! Disclaimer: I do not own THG**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty-Nine<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Three Months Later*_

"Peeta, are you sure we packed everything?" Katniss asks me for the hundredth time since we left for the train station.

"Yes, Katniss, I'm sure. We have to hurry up or we'll miss the train and then Haymitch and Effie are going to have to spend the week all by themselves." I tell Katniss.

"We don't want that. Next thing you know we have little baby Haymitchs running around." Katniss replies and I can't help but chuckle. We make it to the train and have just gotten settled when the train starts its journey towards the Capitol.

"Glad you guys could make it," Haymitch says as he sits down next to Katniss.

"Too bad we weren't late. Then you and Effie would have her apartment all to yourselves for the week." Katniss teases and Haymitch actually turns a light shade of red.

"How are my grandbabies doing?" Haymitch asks as he picks Phoenix up out of his car seat.

"Still not sleeping through the night," Katniss complains and Haymitch chuckles. With Haymitch looking after Phoenix and Ivy sound asleep in her car seat, Katniss and I actually have a little time alone.

"Are you excited for our little trip?" I ask her as I wrap my arm around her shoulders.

"It's a little weird going to the Capitol without being worried about dying." She says in a half-joking, half-serious manner.

"Well, there is a first time for everything." I tell her.

"I'm still baffled that Haymitch and Effie are getting married." Katniss says as she lays her head on my shoulder.

"It's crazy. Those two couldn't stand each other fifteen years ago and now they can barely keep their hands off of each other." I reply.

"I guess fifteen years can really change people." She says.

Haymitch's POV

The train finally pulls into the Capitol station at four in the afternoon. I groan as I pick up my luggage. My lower back has been aching for the past couple of days and the long train ride definitely did not help. Getting old really does feel like hell.

As I am waiting for Peeta and Katniss to get their luggage, I spot Effie from across the train station. She catches my eye and smiles. I smile back and, before I know it, I am running across the station. I pull her into my arms once I have reached her and kiss her lips passionately. Who ever said I was old?

"I take it you missed me?" She asks once our lips are parted.

"You have no idea, Princess." I reply, kissing her lips again. "You taste like watermelon."

"Thank you," Effie giggles. "You shaved," She states, running her hand over my now smooth cheek.

"I wanted to look my best for you," I tell her, nuzzling my nose against hers.

"I really do hate to break up this love-fest, but I think Phoenix wants to say 'hi' to Effie." Katniss says.

"Oh! And I want to say 'hello' to him, too!" Effie exclaims as she takes Phoenix from Katniss. "How has this sweetest boy on the face of the earth? Oh, I missed you so much!" Watching Effie with Phoenix makes my heart ache just a bit. I wish she could have been the mother of my children.

We all take a cab to Effie's apartment in downtown. She lives on the tenth floor of a rather extravagant living complex. Her apartment is furnished with incredibly good taste.

"Katniss, Peeta, your bedroom is at the end of that hallway," Effie says, pointing down one of the hallways in her apartment. "There is a room adjacent to yours that has everything the babies could need. I hope you're all comfortable."

"Thank you, Effie, for all your hospitality." Peeta says before the family heads down the hall.

"What? Are you sticking me on the couch, Trinket?" I ask her in a mock hurt tone.

"Oh, well . . ." Effie stammers, her face turning red.

"What is it, Princess?" I ask her, smiling to try to ease her unexplained tension.

"I only have the two spare bedrooms . . ." She whispers tentatively.

"Oh, well, I'll be okay on the couch." I tell her and her eyes grow sad. "Or I could . . ." I start, not really sure want she wants me to say.

"You could stay in my room," She suggests quietly.

"Only if you're okay with that," I tell her.

"We're engaged. And it's not like we're going to sleep together." She says and I nod before she leads me to her bedroom.

For dinner, Effie orders a couple of pizzas from a restaurant down the block. Just after dinner, Peeta and Katniss put the twins to bed. The rest of the night goes rather boring. Peeta and Effie chatted about wedding cakes for over an hour while Katniss and I exchanged looks of exaggerated boredom. Around midnight, we all decide that it is time to go to bed. Katniss and Peeta head down the hall and Effie and I head to her bedroom.

In Effie's bedroom, she changes in her bathroom while I quickly change into my pajamas. I am just sitting down on the edge of the bed when Effie exits the bathroom, sporting a pink tank top and pink and white polka dotted pajama pants.

"What?" She asks when she notices my staring.

"You look cute," I tell her.

"Why thank you." She says as she crawls into bed. "Care to join me?" She asks, patting the space next to her. I smile and lay down next to her.

"This is nice," I tell her as I push a stray hair from her face.

"I missed you," Effie says and I can tell that she's holding back tears.

"I know. I missed you, too." I reply.

"I jus just wish you were closer." She says as tears start to spill from her eyes.

"Oh, Ef, shh," I say as I pull her into my arms. "I'm sorry. I wish I was closer, too. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," She tells me.

"Yes, it is. I'm your fiancé and I should be closer. Ef, I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do, tell me."

"Haymitch, I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do." She tells me, wiping tears from her cheeks.

"I want to do whatever is going to make you happy." I tell her.

"I'll be in District 12 soon." She states.

"Not soon enough." I tell her, tears stinging my own eyes.

"Let's just get some sleep," She says as she lays her head on my chest. I nod and wrap my arm around her shoulders. "I love you," I whisper into her ear once she has fallen asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you loved it! Please review!<strong>


	30. Chapter 30

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! Just some Hayfie to start ya off with ;). Disclaimer: I do not, for the millionth time, own THG  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty<span>

Haymitch's POV

The sound of the running shower pulls me from my slumber. I rub the sleep from my eyes and stretch my arms. Effie is not beside me. I hear the shower shut off and watch as the door to Effie's bathroom open. Effie, clad in a hot pink bath towel, enters the bedroom.

"Ef," I breathe as a grin spreads across my face.

"Oh, I thought you were still asleep." Effie says, her face turning a deep shade of red.

"I can pretend to be asleep if that makes you more comfortable," I offer.

"No, it's fine. I'll just go get dressed in the bathroom." She responds as she pulls some clothes from her closet.

"No," I tell her as I get up from the bed. "I gotta go to the bathroom anyway."

"Okay," She says as I walk to the bathroom.

Effie's POV

I get dressed and head out to the kitchen to start breakfast. Peeta and Katniss are already up with the twins in the living room.

"Good morning," I call to them from the kitchen.

"Morning," They both call back.

"What would you like for breakfast?" I ask them.

"Effie, let me make breakfast. You should spend some time with the twins." Peeta offers. I accept his offer and join Katniss and the twins in the living room. Katniss hands me Phoenix and we sit together on my brown leather sofa. Phoenix seems to find my bright yellow sunflower necklace rather interesting. I slip it from my neck and hand it to him to play with. He sticks it directly into his mouth and starts babbling incoherent words at me. Before, I would have found this action absolutely appalling. But now, I can't help but find it down right adorable.

"Good morning everyone," Haymitch exclaims jollily as he enters the living room.

"Good morning," I say to him as he leans down to kiss my lips.

After eating breakfast, I take Haymitch, Peeta, Katniss, and the twins on a tour of the new Capitol. It's such a nice place to live now that the Hunger Games are over. Several museums and performance centers were built. Parks were preserved for various familial activities. New justice buildings and justice systems were set up.

We spent the day touring the museums and the parks. The twins seemed to really enjoy it, until nap time rolled around. Haymitch and I offered to take them back to my apartment so that Katniss and Peeta could spend some more time in the city. They gladly accepted our offer and we all parted ways for the rest of the afternoon.

Katniss' POV

"Isn't Gale in the Capitol for the elections?" Peeta asks me as we walk passed the Justice Buildings.

"I guess he must be," I say, noting all the posters around with his face on them.

"We should stop by and say 'hello'," Peeta suggests.

"He's probably busy, Peeta." I tell him.

"I don't think he'd be too busy for a couple of old friends." He says.

"Fine," I tell him, not wanting to have to tell him why I really don't want to see Gale.

Inside the main Justice Building, we have to go through three rounds of secretaries before we even get to Gale's secretary. She is beautiful blonde woman and I can't help but roll my eyes at the thought of what else she could be to him than his secretary.

"Mr. Hawthorne is quite busy today," She tells us.

"Tell him it's Peeta and Katniss. I'm sure he'll make room." Peeta tells the woman. The woman nods and buzzes Gale's office. Gale is, of course, ecstatic to hear that Peeta and I are outside his office.

"Mr. Hawthorne will see you now." The secretary tells us and we head into Gale's office.

"Catnip," Gale says as we enter his office. He pulls me into a tight hug and I awkwardly hug him back. Once he releases me, he and Peeta share a slightly awkward man-hug.

"What brings you two to the Capitol?" He asks us.

"Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy," I reply.

"What?" He asks, rather befuddled.

"They're engaged," Peeta tells him.

"Haymitch and Effie are engaged?" Gale asks in disbelief. I nod and he outright chuckles.

"So, what have you been up to?" I ask him as I sit down in one of the leather armchairs in the room.

"Just a bunch of government stuff," He replies. "It gets a little boring every now and then."

"Surely there must be something interesting that's happened over the last year," I tell him.

"Well, there's been some stuff going on in the city lately." He says.

"Like what?" Peeta asks him.

"Some civil unrest," He tells me. "There have been a lot of riots lately. Some people aren't happy with the new government."

"Would they rather we had the Hunger Games back?" I ask in disbelief. This new government is a huge improvement over what we had in Panem before.

"I don't know," Gale says in an exasperated tone. "The riots keep getting bigger. More people are buying into all this mumbo-jumbo."

"Do they have a leader?" I ask.

"There's this guy with a funny accent at all the riots. He does a lot to get the people all riled up. He's from some country east of here." He says.

"What's his name?" I ask.

"Desmond Remington," Gale says.

"You should put a stop to him before he starts some sort of rebellion to our rebellion." I tell him.

"I plan on it." Gale says. "Enough about me, I heard someone had a baby."

"Two, actually," I reply, smiling at the thought of my babies. "Phoenix Aiden and Ivy Sky," I tell him.

"Beautiful names," Gale says. "Congratulations to both of you,"

"Thank you. Speaking of the twins, Peeta we really should get back to them. I'm sure Effie and Haymitch don't want to babysit for their whole time together." I tell Peeta.

"You're probably right. Gale, it was nice to see you," Peeta says as he and Gale shake hands. Gale nods before he pulls me into a hug.

"It was good to see you, Catnip. Have fun with your little rascals. I'm sure you're a great mom." He tells me.

"Good luck with your riots." I tell him and, with that, Peeta and I leave.

* * *

><p><strong>I just like putting Haymitch and Effie into awkward situations :D Please Review!<strong>


	31. Chapter 31

**Okay, so here's the last of all that creative spa****rk I've Had over the last three days. Hope you like it. Disclaimer: Don't own HG**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty-One<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Three Months Later*_

It's barely a month before my babies are a whole year old. I can't believe how fast this first year went by. It seems like only yesterday that Peeta and I first brought our babies home.

Our family has definitely grown in the last year. The twins are the obvious addition, but there are a lot of less obvious additions. Johanna and Nash are now part of our family, even though they aren't blood. I'm so happy that they consider us as family.

Effie is the newest addition to our family, thanks to Haymitch. If you told me that Effie Trinket would be marrying Haymitch Abernathy during my first Hunger Games, I would have laughed right in your face. But, by some crazy turn of events, Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket have fallen in love and are engaged.

It's five o'clock in the morning and I am cradling Ivy in my arms, feeding her. Peeta is on the other side of the couch, feeding Phoenix. Over the last couple of months our routine has changed since the twins started sleeping for longer periods of time at night. We're up to four hours of sleeping before I have to wake up and feed them. Peeta always tells me to sleep and that he'll feed them, but I know he has to get up early in the mornings during the week and I would feel bad if he was tired all day at the bakery.

"What kind of cake were you thinking of having for the twins' birthday party?" Peeta asks me.

"Oh, I really hadn't thought about it." I tell him. "Did you have anything in mind?"

"Maybe, we could do cupcakes. You know, 'because the twins are small and there's a high chance barely any of it will actually end up in their mouths." Peeta suggests.

"That a great idea, Peeta!" I tell him. "And you could make the frosting green and red."

"That is a good idea. Look at us, planning our kids' birthday party." Peeta says.

"It is kind of fun," I tell him as I start patting Ivy's back. She burps and I wipe spit up from her chin. "How's my beautiful little girl this morning?" I ask her.

"Ma," That one syllable leaving my daughter's mouth stops my heart.

"Peeta, did you hear that?" I ask him, my heart now beating at double its normal pace.

"Hear what?" He asks, obviously having missed the huge moment.

"Sh She said 'ma'." I tell him, not being able to keep the huge smile from my face.

"She did?" He asks in shock and I nod back at him excitedly.

"Can you say it again for daddy?" I ask her. "Say 'mama', sweetheart. C'mon," I coax her.

"Mama," She replies almost instantly and I can feel tears of happiness stinging the back of my eyes.

"Oh my goodness," Peeta says. "She just said her first word."

"She did!" I exclaim. "I can't believe it!"

"Me either. This is great!" Peeta says.

"I feel like we should call someone," I say. "Maybe Haymitch,"

"I'll go get you the phone." He says as he hands me Phoenix and goes to get the telephone.

"Thanks," I tell him as he hands me the phone and takes Phoenix back. I hit speed dial #2 and call Haymitch.

"It's a little early for a phone call, don't you think, sweetheart?" Haymitch says as he answers the phone.

"I know, but I have some news that's going to make up for waking you up." I tell him.

"What is it?" He asks.

"Ivy just said her first word," I tell him.

"What'd she say?" He asks and I can clearly hear the excitement in his voice.

"She said 'mama'," I tell him, tears of happiness once again welling up in my eyes.

"Oh, that's so great!" He exclaims.

"You wanna come over?" I ask him. "I know it's really early, but . . ."

"Sweetheart, I would love to come over," He says. "I'll be over in ten minutes."

Ten minutes later, Haymitch walks through the door. He sits between me and Peeta and Peeta hands him Phoenix. Right away, we all start trying to get Ivy to talk again. And, just like last time, she says "mama" right away. It's an amazing feeling to hear my daughter call me 'mama' for the first time.

Peeta and I urge Haymitch to spend the day with us and, after a few minutes of convincing, he caves. Peeta goes off to make breakfast and Haymitch and I hang out in the living room with the twins.

"Have you talked to Effie lately?" I ask him.

"We talked for a couple hours last night." He says, a smile coming across his face.

"You miss her, don't you?" I ask him.

"So much," He replies. "I just can't wait 'til she moves here."

"Breakfast is ready!" Peeta calls from the kitchen. Haymitch and I grab the twins and head into the kitchen. We eat the magnificent breakfast of fresh waffles covered in strawberries prepared by Peeta. After breakfast, we all head outside to enjoy the nice July weather.

"Hey, you guys are gonna want to see this!" Haymitch calls from across our backyard.

"What's going on?" I ask him as I walk over.

"You're little fireball is getting ready to take off," He says and, once I see Phoenix, I know exactly what he means. Phoenix is clutching the side of the sandbox and tentatively taking little steps forward.

"Oh, my baby is walking!" I exclaim. "Peeta, look,"

"He is walking. He's doing great! I can't believe it!" Peeta says as he wraps his arm around my shoulders and kisses my cheek.

"Oh, Peeta, our babies are growing up so fast!" I tell him. In the same day, my daughter spoke her first word and my son took his first steps.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you liked it! Now, you might have to wait for chapters. Unless, of course, all those reviews ignite some creativity in my head. ;)<strong>


	32. Chapter 32

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! I hope its sufficiently cute! Disclaimer: Don't own THG :(  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Two<span>

Peeta's POV

_*One Month Later*_

Today is the day that my babies turn one. It really is astonishing how fast the time flew by. It really does feel like we brought them home yesterday.

It is also amazing how quickly their personalities developed. I can already tell that Phoenix will be the quiet one, while Ivy will most definitely be more outgoing. Phoenix can usually entertain himself if Katniss or I am not able to, but Ivy will just cry and cry until someone gives her attention or plays with her. It's a good thing Haymitch is always around because he's always up for a game of some sort.

It's barely six o'clock in the morning, but I am already at the bakery. I have to bake 4 dozen cupcakes and frost an equal amount red and an equal amount green before the party starts at one. After much debate, Katniss and I final decided that vanilla cupcakes would be best for the party.

Katniss' mom, Johanna, and Nash all arrived in District 12 last night and were helping Katniss decorate the house. In order to help them out, Haymitch and Effie were watching Phoenix and Ivy until the party was ready to begin.

It truly is great to have all of our family so close at the same time. It almost feels like a family reunion of sorts. It is very rare that everyone we consider to be family is in the area at the same time, so we've learned to enjoy it while we can.

I stick the cupcakes in the oven to cook and prepare the frosting while I am waiting. The green and red frosting was a great personalizing idea. I thought it was cute that the cupcakes would match their names.

Once the cupcakes are fully cooked and are cool, I begin to frost them. This is something that I hope I can share with my kids someday. I would love to teach them how to cook and how frosting can really be an art form. I can't wait until they start drawing pictures for me.

I know Katniss is excited to teach them how to hunt, too. She talks about teaching them how to read animal tracks and how to move stealthily through the woods. She's excited to share with them her knowledge of diverse plants and animals.

But, I also know that Katniss is afraid. She is afraid that, somehow, our babies will end up in the Hunger Games and have to fight for their lives just like we had to. She's afraid that, as punishment for leading a rebellion, she'll have to watch her babies die in the arena. She doesn't like to talk about it much, but I know the idea torments her. I am right beside her when she wakes up screaming from the nightmares. I am there to try and comfort her.

I sigh as I finish frosting the last cupcake. They all look absolutely perfect. I crack my neck to ease the tension that had arisen from craning it in concentration to make sure I didn't mess up any of the cupcakes. I pack all the cupcakes neatly in boxes from the bakery. I stack the boxes and grab them as I head back towards my house in Victor's Village.

"I'm home," I call as I enter the house. I enter the living room and have to admire the work that Mrs. Everdeen, Johanna, Nash, and Katniss have done to turn it into a party area. There are orange and lime green streamers and balloons strewn throughout the room and a big banner that read "Happy 1st Birthday Phoenix and Ivy!" hung up above the TV.

"It looks great, guys!" I exclaim as I put the cupcakes down on the coffee table and putting my arm around Katniss.

"How'd the cupcakes come out?" She asks me.

"Beautifully," I tell her.

"Great," She says. "I'm just gonna throw in some frozen pizzas for the adults and then I think we'll be all set." I nod in agreement.

Around one o'clock, Haymitch and Effie bring the twins over, freshly woken from their nap. Since it's only their first birthday, there really isn't anything too exciting for us to do. The big thing this year will be watching them play with the wrapping paper from their presents.

"What should we do first?" Mrs. Everdeen asks as she sits on the couch with Ivy in her lap. Phoenix and Effie are seated together on the loveseat, Effie holding Phoenix.

"Do you guys want to do presents or food first?" I ask everyone. After a few minutes of discussion, we decide to do food first and we all move into the living room. Katniss puts the pizzas out on the counters and everyone helps themselves before we get ready to sing to the twins. I place a green-frosted cupcake in front of Ivy and an orange-frosted cupcake in front of Phoenix before lighting the candle that stick out from the center of each of them.

_"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Phoenix and Ivy, Happy birthday to you," _We all sing and Katniss and I help the twins blow out the candles. We move the cupcakes closer to them and watch as they make a huge mess of their highchairs and faces.

Ivy, always the more daring of the two, digs in right away. In no time at all, her face and hands are covered with frosting and chucks of vanilla cake. Phoenix is more timid and watches his sister for a few minutes before digging in himself. He doesn't quite make such a big mess and I think more of the cupcake ended up in his mouth than his sister's. Effie takes tons and tons of pictures to commemorate the moments. Once the adults have finished eating and the twins have been cleaned up, we all move back into the living room for presents.

Katniss and I are seated in the middle of the couch with the twins and the rest of our family surrounding us. The first present is from Effie and it is a rather large box. The twins don't seem to know what to do with the colorfully wrapped package. Katniss and I show them how to rip off the wrapping paper and soon they are each ripping off little pieces on their own. Underneath the wrapping paper there is a considerably large cardboard box. Inside the cardboard box, there are at least two dozen different outfits.

The dozen on the left side of the box are girl outfits. There are a few pairs of colored overalls, a couple of dresses, a few hats, and a couple pairs of pajamas. Phoenix got a few pairs of colored overalls, a few pairs of jeans, a few t-shirts, a few hats, and a couple pairs of pajamas.

"Effie, these are adorable!" Katniss exclaims. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome," Effie replies as she leans into Haymitch, who has his arm around her shoulders. Next, we open the gift from Johanna and Nash. This time the twins are more ready to rip the wrapping paper off the present. Inside the box that is under the green wrapping paper, there are two camouflage fleece coats for the winter and one pair of green camo pants and one pair of orange camo pants.

"They're so cute!" Katniss says as she holds up the articles.

"Now you can take the twins hunting with you and they'll blend right in." Johanna jokes. Next, we open Haymitch's gift. Inside the bag, underneath the green and orange tissue paper, there are a set of books. There is _Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eight Silly Monkeys, _and an entire set of all of Dr. Seuss' children's books.

"Thank you so much, Haymitch!" Katniss exclaims as she looks through all the books.

"You're welcome, kiddo." Haymitch replies.

Finally, it's time to open all the presents from Katniss' mom. To say that she went overboard is a rather large understatement. It took three other people to help us carry back all the presents she brought. The first box is rather large and heavy so we let the twins onto the floor so they could open it. Underneath the wrapping paper was a box containing a rocking horse! While the twins don't seem too excited about this, Katniss and I are. This is something we really wanted for our kids. Next, there were at least three gift bags full of stuffed animals: stuffed dogs, stuffed bears, et cetera, et cetera. Mrs. Everdeen was definitely spoiling our kids and they were just a year old.

The last gift from Katniss' mother was in a box, tied together with a ribbon. Inside the box there were two books. The first one read "Phoenix Aiden Mellark" on the front and was painted various shades of reds and oranges. The second read "Ivy Sky Mellark" on the front and was painted various shades of green. Katniss and I flipped through the pages. They were filled with all the big things from the year. Our babies' first pictures and foot and hand prints and many, many more pictures and memories.

"Mom, thank you so much!" Katniss exclaims.

"You're welcome, honey." Mrs. Everdeen replies. Since the twins are rather tired from the day's events, Katniss and I put them down for their nap and all the adults just hang around the house for a while. Today was definitely a success.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you loved it! Please review!<strong>


	33. Chapter 33

**Hey, Everyone! Here's another chapter! Hope ya like it! Disclaimer: Don't own THG  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Three<span>

Katniss' POV

_*One Month Later*_

It is dark by the time I leave the tree line of the woods. It's Saturday, Peeta's day off from the bakery, and he wanted to spend some quality time with the twins so I went hunting from the day. I honestly didn't have a whole lot to show for my day long hunting trip; just a few squirrels and a badger.

On my way through town, I drop my game off at the butcher shop and pick up some freshly skinned and de-boned wild turkeys. It's late and I've been in the woods since the twins woke up and were fed. I trudge through town on my way to Victor's Village, wanting nothing more than to see my husband and my babies.

As I approach the back door of the house, I notice a note taped to it. It reads: Go over to Haymitch's. Don't go inside. I sigh because, as much as I love him, I don't want to hang out with Haymitch right now. But, nevertheless, I walk the hundred yards to Haymitch's house and go inside without even knocking. Inside I find Haymitch, Effie, Peeta, and the twins all hanging around in the kitchen.

"What's going on?" I ask as I walk over to give Peeta a kiss.

"Well, I want you to go upstairs with Effie and do what she says and then I would like it if you accompanied me back to our house." Peeta tells me, a sly smile crossing his face. I agree and follow Effie upstairs.

"What's this all about?" I ask her once we're in one of Haymitch's spare bedroom.

"It's a surprise," Effie tells me as she seats me in front of a vanity mirror. She applies some makeup to my face, curls hair, and then tells me to put the dress on that is hanging in the bathroom. When I go into the bathroom, I have to gasp at the beautiful dress that is hanging behind the bathroom door. The dress is black with strings that tie behind your neck. I slip it on and it just comes to my knees.

I can't help but look at myself in the mirror. Effie did an absolutely wonderful job with my makeup, the new curls in my hair fall perfectly around my face, and the dress fits me perfectly. I exit the bathroom and twirl upon Effie's request.

"You do look gorgeous!" She exclaims before instructing me to go straight back to my house and telling me not to worry about the twins. I agree and head over to the house.

I enter the house via the back door and am breathless at what I see. Peeta has turned down the lights in the kitchen and has arranged candles throughout the room to give it a very romantic feeling.

"Hello there, gorgeous," Peeta says as he enters the kitchen. He is looking very, very handsome in his deep red, button down shirt with a black tie and black pair of pants. I can feel my heart race just at the sight of him.

"What's all this about?" I ask him, using my arms to gesture all around me.

"I just thought I would treat my wife to a romantic evening," He says. He motions for me to sit and then goes into the other room to get something. He returns to the room carrying two plates of food and a bottle of wine. On the plates there is a T-bone steak, garlic mashed potatoes, and teriyaki green beans. I do love it when Peeta treats me to food like this.

"This is delicious," I tell him as I take a sip of red wine.

"I'm glad you like it. It's been a while since we had time to ourselves like this." He says, clasping my hand in his.

"I know. I don't like not getting to spend as much time alone as we used to." I admit.

"Well, we could do it more often. We have a willing babysitter right next door all the time." Peeta tells me.

"That is true." I reply. We finish our magnificent dinner and move into the living room.

The living room is also full of candles and there are rose petals strew across the floor. Peeta leads me to the couch and we sit. He pours us each another glass of wine and we curl up together.

"I love you," He breathes as he tangles his fingers in my hair.

"I love you, too." I tell him, leaning closer into him. He leans in closer to me and our lips meet. The already flaming passion between us explodes as our lips move against each other's. Peeta's hands move over by body, causing me to gasp in pleasure. Peeta takes this opportunity to slip his tongue into my mouth. For a while, our tongues duel for dominance.

His hands tangle deeper into my hair and he pulls me closer to him. I moan in his mouth and wrap my arms around his neck. We are pressed together as close as we could get. The feeling of his body pressing against mine ignites such a blazing passion within me that I know I need him right now.

"Peeta, let's go upstairs." I tell him as he pulls away from my lips for a breath of air. He nods before picking me up bridal style and carrying my up to our bedroom.

In our bedroom, the bed is covered with rose petals and surrounded with candles. Peeta lowers me onto the bed and pulls me into another deep kiss. I run my fingers through his luscious, blonde waves and pull him closer to me. I just can't get enough of him.

I pull begin unbuttoning his shirt and he moans into my mouth. I finally manage to push his shirt from his shoulders and my hands travel along his now bare chest and stomach. After all these years, Peeta has still managed to stay in such great shape.

Peeta tugs at the hem of dress so I pull down the zipper and let him pull it from my body. The look in his eyes when he sees my body makes my heart skip a beat and my cheeks turn red.

"You are the most gorgeous woman I've ever laid eyes on," He whispers into my ear, his voice husky with passion. I kiss him in response and the rest of our clothes are off in no time. My hands are running through his hair and his hands are coasting over my body. There is no question that we are both ready for this.

"Make love to me," I whisper into his ear as he kisses my neck and he readily grants my wish.

Bright sunlight shining through the curtains rouses me from my deep sleep. I roll onto my side and am met with Peeta's beautiful sleeping figure. I smile as he stirs a little in his sleep. I honestly can't remember when the last time we got to sleep in like this was.

A few minutes later, Peeta wakes up, too. He pulls me into his arms and we spend a few hours tangled in each other's arms. He kisses my skin and I run my fingers over his body. We make love again and spend the rest of the morning in bed.

* * *

><p><strong>I know some of you we're waiting on some KatnissXPeeta romance time so there it was! Please review!<strong>


	34. Chapter 34

**Hey, Everybody! Another new chapter! Aren't I just on fire? (no pun intended lol) Enjoy! Disclaimer: Don't own THG.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Four<span>

Haymitch's POV

_*One Month Later*_

"Do you think the gardenias or the tiger lilies look better?" Effie asks me as I sit next to her on the couch. Effie had just moved to District 12 from the Capitol last week and we had finally finished unpacking all her stuff yesterday. That woman had a lot of stuff.

Today, we were starting our wedding plans. The living room was completely taken over by wedding planning magazines and a bunch of pictures of flowers and table cloths and fine china and dresses and tuxes. I could feel the manliness just slowly draining from the house.

"Princess, it really doesn't make that big of difference to me. Whatever you like best is perfectly fine with me."

"Haymitch, surely you have some sort of input," She tells me, shifting her body closer to mine.

"I don't know anything about flowers," I tell her honestly.

"Well, which one do you think looks better?" She asks me, holding up two pictures. I study them for a few seconds before pointing at the simpler of the two pink flowers.

"Gardenias," She says with a smile. "I like those better, too. They're just so beautiful in their simplicity."

"Sometimes simpler is more beautiful," I tell her, running my fingers through her blond curls. She smiles and then leans up to kiss me. "I love you," I breathe as our lips part.

"I love you, too." She replies. Now, we move onto picking the fine china for the reception. As much as I love Effie, I find myself getting increasingly annoyed with her constant chatter about china patterns. After a very long time of flipping through pages upon pages of china options, Effie finally decides on china with a simple, yet elegant pink pattern.

We spend the rest of the day deciding on everything from cakes to dresses to music to tablecloths. I have to say that it was rather mind-numbing. Finally, we get to the 'hard' part, as Effie puts it: The guest list.

Both Effie and I agreed that a smaller wedding would be better, but it is still hard deciding who we should invite and who we shouldn't. Peeta and Katniss are an obvious, as are the twins. We add Katniss' mother, as well as Johanna and Nash, to the guest list. I suggest inviting the Hawthornes, Greasy Sae, and her granddaughter; Effie finds this addition "delightful".

"What about Venia, Octavia, and Flavius?" Effie suggests.

"Why would we invite Katniss' prep team?" I ask her. "It's not like we were ever close to them and we haven't kept in contact with them after all these years."

"They are still my friends!" Effie exclaims. "I know it's hard for you to understand what it's like to have old friends, but you could at least be a bit more respectful of my suggestion!"

"What do you mean 'I don't understand'?" I ask her. I can feel my annoyance from earlier turning into red hot anger.

"Everyone you would have invited to our wedding is dead!" She exclaims. This cuts deep into my heart as the words echo in my head. She is right. Everyone I would have invited to this joyous occasion is dead. Dead because of something I did. Something I did while in the 50th Hunger Games.

I can tell Effie has recognized what she has said. Her face has softened up and I can see the regret in her eyes. She takes a step forward, saying something that my mind can't process right now. Flashes of my mother and my brother and my sweetheart from so many years ago go through my head. They are all dead because of me.

I back away from Effie. I turn from her and walk towards the door. I can hear her trying to talk to me. I know she is apologizing over and over for what she has said. I know she didn't mean to hurt me with her words like she did. But, for some reason, I can't get myself to stop walking away. I walk through the door, leaving the house, and down the streets of Victor's Village. Goosebumps appear on my bear arms as I walk down the street. I don't care. The cold penetrates my body, but it is nothing compared to the deep nothingness that I feel inside.

I don't know how long I have walked for or how far I have walked when I finally stop. The feeling of overwhelming nothingness still looms inside of me. The air has gotten colder and sky has gotten darker. I feel myself shiver against the cool breeze that sweeps through the town. To my left there is a small building that has its lights on. Music and warmth travels out onto the street from the building. The warmth draws me inside.

Peeta's POV

"The twins are down," I say as I come into the kitchen.

"Good," Katniss replies with a smile. She is standing over the stove cooking her famous squirrel stew. Katniss can't cook a lot, but her squirrel stew is to die for. She turns off the burner on the stove and puts the pot of stew on the table.

"Smells delicious," I tell her as I take a few ladle fulls of the stew. We spend the next twenty minutes eating is silence. The stew is as great as it smells, probably even better. The meat is super tender and the carrots and onions are perfectly caramelized.

After dinner, I clean up the kitchen while Katniss goes to take a shower. I always try to make sure Katniss has some time to herself during the day, even if it's just twenty minutes for a relaxing shower. Once the kitchen is clean and Katniss is out of the shower, we spend some quality time together on the couch, watching some TV.

Half an hour later, Katniss and I are tangled in each other's embrace. Katniss has been in a very romantic mood for the last couple weeks and jumps me almost every chance she gets. Not that I'm complaining or anything.

We make our way upstairs and into our bed. Katniss pulls off my shirt as I unbutton her jeans. I kiss her lips as her fingers roam over my bear chest. She unbuttons my pants and pushes them down my legs along with her pants. I pull off her shirt and start kissing her neck. Her fingers tangle in my hair as I undo her bra.

"Make lov-" Katniss is cut off by the shrill ring of the telephone. She groans in frustration as I get up to answer the phone. Just as I pick up the phone, the sound of babies crying also fills the air. Katniss throws on her robe and goes to tend to the babies while I answer the phone.

"Hello," I say. The words that come from the other end of the phone shock me so much I have to lean against the wall to keep me from falling. The conversation is short and I hang up just as Katniss reenters the bedroom.

"What was that all about?" Katniss asks as she sits down on the bed.

"It was the bar in town." I tell her. "Haymitch is drunk."

* * *

><p><strong>Please don't hate me! I know its a really big shocker. Please review. Reviews are always the highlight of my day. <strong>


	35. Chapter 35

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter. I know you're all eager to see what's gonna happen after that last shocker. Well, here it is! Disclaimer: I no own THG. :'(  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Five<span>

Effie's POV

I am awakened from my restless sleep by the sound of someone loudly clamoring into the living room. I sit up on the couch that I had unceremoniously fallen asleep on a few hours ago. I discover the source of the clamoring: Peeta. I am shocked to see that Peeta has Haymitch in tow, supporting him on his shoulders.

"Oh, dear, what's happened?" I ask in confusion.

"Well, I honestly don't really know," He tells me as he lowers Haymitch onto the couch

"What's happened to him?" I ask, sitting next to him and running my hand over his stubble.

"Oh, ah . . . well, he's . . . Effie, he's drunk." Peeta stammers.

"What?" I reply in utter shock, my voice raising a few octaves.

"I got a call from the bar in town and they told me that I had to come pick Haymitch up because he was drunk," Peeta says.

"Why . . . why would he get drunk?" I ask, my heart breaking at the sight of Haymitch passed out from all his drinking.

"I have no idea," Peeta replies.

"Well, thank you so much for bringing him home." I tell him.

"No problem, Effie. Let me know if there's anything Katniss or I can do." And, with that, he lets himself out of the house.

"Oh, Haymitch," I say as I push some stray hairs from his face.

"Ef . . ." He slurs as hi eyes open ever so slightly. His eyes focus on me for a few seconds before he abruptly pushes himself from the couch. He wobbles a bit, leaning on the wall for support.

"Haymitch, please sit down. I don't want you to hurt yourself." I tell him. He just shakes his head and wobbles towards the staircase. "Haymitch, please," I repeat, but he shakes his head again as he starts climbing the stairs. I follow him, not wanting him to fall down the stairs and break his neck.

Haymitch stumbles into the bedroom, me close at his heels. The room is dark, but Haymitch finds the bed without any problem. He collapses onto the bed and pulls the covers around his head, hiding from me.

"Haymitch, sweetheart, do you want to talk about it?" I ask him, sitting next to him on the bed and resting my hand on his shoulder. The covers move in a way that suggests that Haymitch has shaken his head 'no'. "Are you sure?" I persist. He shakes his head 'yes' and I let out a small sigh. I kiss his head and go to spend the night in one of his guest bedrooms.

Haymitch's POV

I was out of my alcohol haze before Peeta even left the house. I was aware of the shock in Effie's voice when she heard that I was currently drunk. I had let her down. I had let Peeta and Katniss down. I had let Phoenix and Ivy down. I let everyone I cared about down. I had failed.

I could tell that Effie wasn't mad at me, even though she really should be. I knew she wanted to help me, but I didn't feel like I deserved her help. I had broken my promise to her. I didn't deserve her in the first place, but now? Now I knew that I shouldn't be with her. She's too good for me and I'm nothing but a hopeless drunk. I should have known that I would never be able to stay sober.

I wake to the feeling of Effie's hands on my back. She is talking to me, but I don't feel like listening. I just want to stay here forever and never move.

"Haymitch, sweetheart, will you please talk to me?" Effie asks. "I love you," She says and there is something about how genuinely she said it that makes a tear slip down my cheek.

"I'm sorry, Ef." I manage to choke out, a few more tears spilling down my cheeks.

"Shh, it's okay." She tells me.

"No, it isn't." I tell her as I turn around to face her. "I broke my promise to everyone. I failed. I'm a failure."

"No, you are not and I'm not going to stand for that kind of talk from you, Haymitch. You made a mistake. It happens to everyone and I'm sure that Katniss and Peeta will understand just as much as I do. We're not going to stop loving you." She says.

"I don't deserve your love. I'm nothing more than a hopeless drunk." I reply, the volume of my voice rising.

"Haymitch Abernathy, you are so much more than a hopeless drunk!" Effie exclaims as she practically jumps off the bed. "You are a Hunger Games victor. You are a father figure to Katniss and Peeta. You are a grandfather to Phoenix and Ivy. And you are a fiancé to me!"

"Who wants to have a drunk for a father or a grandfather? Why would you want a drunk as your fiancé?" I ask her, now out of the bed, too.

"Because I love you," She shouts. "I love you so, so, so, so, so much and I'm not going to stop just because you made one little mistake."

"It's not a 'little mistake'! It's a huge screw up!" I shout at her.

"No, it isn't. You're upset and you think this is the end of everyone loving you, but that's not true." She tells me. I can feel my rage just growing. Why doesn't she understand how colossal this is? I broke the only promise I made to the only people I had left that loved me!

"You just don't understand! I made a promise and then I broke it! I don't deserve any of you! And I sure as hell don't deserve you!" I tell her, breathing hard.

"Have you stopped to think that I'm not upset with you? I love you, Haymitch. And since we're getting married, I would assume that you love me to. It isn't about whether or not we deserve each other. It's about love. That's the only thing that matters." She ranted.

"Maybe we shouldn't be getting married." I tell her, choking on my own words. I can see Effie's demeanor change my words. Her eyes take on the familiar sheen of forming tears. Her lips are pressed in a thin line. Her breathing is ragged.

"If that's how you feel, I guess I can't change your mind." She says her voice soft despite the obvious pain in her eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse me." She says and turns to leave. Every cell in my body is telling me to stop her; to run to her, pull her into my arms, and kiss her beautiful lips over and over again. But I refrain. I've already hurt her enough for a lifetime.

Once I hear the front door click, I head down the stairs. The house has taken on an odd feeling of emptiness even after just a few minutes of Effie's absence. The feeling is mirrored in my heart. It aches for her. I sit down on the couch, put my head in my hands, and weep.

* * *

><p><strong>Drama! What do you guys think of this new little development? I hope none of you are now plotting to kill me . . . o.O Review and see what happens next!<strong>


	36. Chapter 36

**Hey, Everyone! I'm sure you are all dying to see what happens next! Well, here it is! Disclaimer: THG belongs to Suzzane Collins  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Six<span>

Effie's POV

I wipe my eyes and compose myself before knocking on the Mellarks' front door. I didn't know where else to go. I didn't really have anywhere else to go in District 12.

"Effie, what's wrong?" Peeta asks, easily being able to see that I had been crying.

"H-Haymitch," I stutter, my breathing ragged and fresh tears springing into my eyes.

"Please come in," He says, holding his arm out to me. I nod and walk into the house. Peeta leads me to the couch in the living room where Katniss is already sitting.

"What happened?" She asks as soon as I sit down, scooting closer to me.

"H-Haymitch . . . Haymitch ca-called off th-the wed-wedding," I choke out through the fresh tears that are flowing down my cheeks.

"Oh, I'm sure he didn't really mean it. He's just upset with himself," Katniss says, trying to console me.

"He sounded pretty serious," I tell her, wiping my eyes again. My heart feels as if a part of it has been ripped out. There is this huge hole inside of me that aches for this man that I couldn't stand for so many years.

"Give him a day or two and I'm sure he'll be over begging for you to take him back," Peeta says, resting his hand on my shoulder soothingly.

"He said that he didn't deserve my love," I tell them, holding back my tears as I think of Haymitch's word.

"That's ridiculous." Katniss says.

"I told him that, but he wouldn't listen. He thinks that, by breaking his promise to be sober, that he's done some unforgivable thing. He wouldn't listen to me when I told him that we wouldn't stop loving him or that what he did wasn't that big of a mistake." I reply.

"He's just upset with himself for breaking his promise and hurting you." Peeta says as he sits down next to me.

"But I wasn't hurt until he said that we shouldn't get married." I tell him, slightly choking on my own words.

"Someone needs to go over there and pull him out of his self-loathing haze." Katniss says firmly. Peeta and I exchange glances. "I'm going over there," Katniss says as she stands up from the couch.

Katniss' POV

I leave the house and head over to Haymitch's house. I knock rather loudly on his front door and then just let myself in. Haymitch is turned around, looking at me with a confused expression on his face.

"We need to talk," I tell him firmly.

"I don't want to talk right now," He tells me, turning away from me.

"Fine," I say as I walk around the couch so that we are face to face. "I'll talk and you listen. Effie is over at my house completely distraught over you calling off the wedding. Now, I understand that you're upset about drinking and breaking your promise, but I think you've taken your self-loathing to the extreme. Effie loves you more than you could know and I know that you love her just as much. I've never seen you happier since you two have been in a relationship. The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that you called off the wedding as a way to punish yourself."

"So what if I did? I don't deserve to be happy," Haymitch retorts.

"What makes you think that? You made one mistake! I think that you do deserve to be happy! You went through the Second Quarter Quell and then spent twenty five years watching tributes die right in front of your eyes! I think that, after all of that, you do deserve some happiness in your life!" I tell him.

"I'm just going to hurt her more," He says softly and I know who he's talking about.

"What makes you think that?" I ask, sitting down on the couch next to him.

"I hurt her tonight by being drunk. How do I know that I'm not going to start drinking again after we're married and just keep hurting her over and over again?" He asks.

"Haymitch, life is full of 'what-ifs'. We can't be sure about anything." I tell him. "How am I supposed to know that Peeta's not going to have a flashback and try to kill me?"

"I just couldn't bare it if I physically hurt her," He admits.

"So emotionally hurting her is okay?" I ask him.

"Of course not," He exclaims.

"Well, you did hurt her emotionally. She's in my living room crying her eyes out in Peeta's arms. She's completely torn apart. She loves you and she doesn't want this to be the end of your relationship together." I explain to him.

"She's really crying?" He asks as he swallows nervously.

"Yes," I confirm and Haymitch hangs his head in shame. "Hey, don't beat yourself up. I know for a fact that, if you went over there right now and pulled her into your arms and told her that you're sorry and that you didn't mean it, she would take you back in a heartbeat."

"You really think so?" He asks.

"I know so," I tell him.

Haymitch's POV

I nod and get up from the couch. Katniss follows me, knowing exactly what I am doing. I can't help but feel extremely nervous as I enter the Mellarks house without knocking.

"Haymitch," Peeta says in shock and Effie's head snaps up from his shoulder.

"Haymitch," She repeats, her eyes shining with tears. I walk over to her and Peeta moves away to give us some privacy.

"Effie, I'm so sorry," I tell her, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry I got drunk and I'm sorry that yelled at you and hurt your feelings."

"It's my fault. I said some awful, awful things to you today." She says as she cups my face in her hands.

"No, I should've dealt with it better than the way I did." I tell her. "And I most definitely should not have called off our wedding. I love you so, so, so, so, so, so much Effie Trinket."

"I love you, too, Haymitch Abernathy." She tells me and, what I hope are tears of happiness, flow from her eyes. I cup her face in my hands; wipe away her tears with my thumbs, and lean in to kiss her. She kisses me back and I know in my heart of hearts that this is where I am supposed to be.

* * *

><p><strong>EEEPPPP! This last scene totally made me wish I had a boyfriend like Haymitch 3. Hope you all loved it! Please review! I have become a review-aholic so I depend on your reviews! <strong>


	37. Chapter 37

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy! Disclaimer: I no own THG  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Seven<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Two Months Later*_

The last few months were rather uneventful. Haymitch and Effie had a long heart to heart talk and decided that it would be best that they put their wedding off for a few more months. Phoenix and Ivy were now both walking and talking so our house was full of something new and unexpected every day. As of right now, they were calling me 'mama' and Peeta 'dada'. Haymitch had recently been given the alias 'papa', originally given to him by Ivy.

I remember the day that Phoenix first called Effie his own version of 'grandma'. Haymitch and Effie had come over for Sunday brunch and Effie and I were just chatting in the living room, each with a baby on our laps, while the guys prepared the food. Effie had just put Phoenix down in the playpen because it was time to eat. He started crying and, when Effie tried to console him without picking him up again, Phoenix held his arms up and said 'GaMa'. Effie had been so shocked and elated to it that she actually started crying. I guess Phoenix had already made Effie an official part of our family.

Today, Haymitch and Effie were here to talk to Peeta about wedding cakes. The happy couple had been arguing over chocolate cake and vanilla cake for over an hour. Haymitch wanted a chocolate cake because it was his and Effie's favorite flavor. Effie wanted vanilla because it was traditional. It really was entertaining to listen to the bickering from another room, but I felt bad for Peeta because I knew that they were sure to get on his nerves eventually.

I was actually really surprised that Haymitch and Effie didn't fight over everything for the wedding. They agreed on the place, date, and time rather easily. Effie wanted the colors to be pink and silver and Haymitch had agreed without any argument, which really surprised me. Haymitch and Effie have also been virtually inseparable since they made up after the little rift in their relationship.

Another big thing that has happened in the past couple of months was the phone call from Johanna informing me of her pregnancy **(A/N Yes I realize Johanna should be passed child-bearing age, but for this story let's say she isn't.)**. She called me just exploding with excitement and questions. She was just passed the three month mark when she called me. We spent a few good hours talking to each other about everything baby. She had so many questions and fears and I kept reassuring her that everything was going to be fine. We spent at least an hour just gushing over everything baby. I was super happy that Johanna had found someone that loved her and was starting her own family. The Survivors of the Hunger Games were not letting President Snow impact their lives any more.

I have just finished cleaning up the twins after a particularly messy lunch when the phone begins ringing.

"Hello," I answer.

"Good morning, Catnip," Gale replies.

"Gale," I reply, trying to cover up my shock. "What's up?"

"Not a whole lot," He replies. "I'm just getting off the train here in District 12 and wanted to know if I could drop by?" He asks.

"Oh, sure," I answer. "Come on over."

"Be there in about ten minutes," He says and then hangs up. I sigh and head into the living room where Haymitch, Effie, Peeta, and the twins are.

"Um, Gale just called and asked if he could come over." I tell Peeta as I sit down next to him on the couch. "I told him he could,"

"That's great! We barely ever get to see him." Peeta says. "What's he doing here?" He asks as our doorbell rings.

"I guess we'll find out," I reply as I get up to answer the door.

"Hey, Catnip," Gale greets as we hug.

"Hey, Gale," I reply once he has released me. We head into the living room and sit down.

"It's nice to see you again, Gale." Peeta says as he and Gale shake hands.

"Same here," Gale replies. "Haymitch, Effie," Gale acknowledges the couple with a nod of his head.

"Gale," Effie replies politely with a smile.

"So, what brings you to District 12?" I ask him.

"Well, you those riots I told you about when you guys were in the Capitol?" He asks and Peeta and I shake our heads. "Well, they've gotten a lot stronger over the last couple months. The leader, Desmond Remington, has announced that he'll be joining the political race next fall."

"Wait a second," Haymitch says. "What riots?"

"When we were in the Capitol visiting Effie, Gale told us about some riots that were happening." I explain.

"Who is this guy?" Haymitch asks.

"I pulled his records and it turns out that he's an old peacekeeper. He's forty and has been working as a personal trainer and security guard since the democracy started. He's making considerably less than what he was and he recently lost his wife to illness because they couldn't afford the medical treatment." Gale enlightens us.

"So he blames the democracy for his wife's death," Haymitch deduces.

"Basically," Gale replies. "He's also making these outlandish promises to all his 'followers'."

"Like what?" I ask.

"He's saying that if he comes to power that no one will be poor and everyone will work together for the greater good. He's promising better technology and security." Gale replies.

"He's basically saying he's going to fix all of Panem's problems," Haymitch says.

"Why are you telling us all about this?" I ask him.

"I thought that since you guys worked so hard for this democracy that maybe you would try to protect it." Gale says. "I'm really going to need all the support I can get for the coming elections. This guy is pretty popular with the people and he gives excellent speeches."

"When do the candidates start touring the districts?" Peeta asks.

"Two months," Gale replies.

"Well, when he comes to District 12, we'll try to keep the people on your side." Peeta says.

"You can count on our support," I tell Gale as I rest my hand on top of his.

* * *

><p><strong>Uh oh! Looks like the democracy is in trouble! *GASP* Please review! I have a serious addiction! I need your reviews! Your feedback helps me write more! So please review! P.S. Love ya all!<strong>


	38. Chapter 38

**Hey, Everyone! Here is another chapter! Ik, WOW! It's the last one for tonight (even tho its passed midnight) I'll be writing more tomorrow since its supposed to rain all day so Thats good for you guys! :D Disclaimer: Suzanne Collins owns THG!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Eight<span>

Peeta's POV

It is the morning of Thanksgiving. The trees outside are a mixture of oranges, browns, and yellows. There is a nice breeze winding its way through the district. And the Mellark house is full to the brim with family.

Johanna, Nash, Gale, and Katniss' mother all arrived yesterday morning for the holidays. Johanna and Katniss were currently in the living room talking about baby stuff. Effie and Mrs. Everdeen were sitting outside just chatting about life. And Gale, Nash and Haymitch were discussing some array of sports.

I, on the other hand, was hard at work preparing Thanksgiving dinner. I had two wild turkeys in one over and rolls and pies in the other. Today I was very glad I had that extra oven put into the kitchen. I was currently trying to perfect my gravy. Gravy was one of those things that if you screw it up it tastes really nasty or has no flavor at all.

As I am cooking, my mind drifts over the events of the last couple of years. Katniss and I added the twins to our ever growing family. Haymitch got sober. Johanna and Nash got engaged and then married. Haymitch and Effie started dating and got engaged. Katniss and Gale started somewhat mending their broken friendship. It has definitely been quite a year.

I take the four pies that I made out of the oven and place them on the counter to cool. Next, I mash the potatoes and start the stuffing. After the stuffing is finished, I take the turkeys and the fresh rolls out of the oven. Everyone else floods into the kitchen and together we move the food into the dining room.

"Haymitch, would you care to do the honors of cutting the turkey?" I ask him, holding out a carving knife to him.

"I would love to," He says with a smile. He slices the turkey and, in no time, all of our plates are full. Katniss and I feed the twins little bits of turkey and mashed potatoes as we eat our own meals.

The conversation turns to all the events since the Rebellion. I guess I wasn't the only one that was reminiscing today.

"Hey, I have an idea." I say as there is a lull in the conversation.

"What's your idea?" Effie asks me.

"We should go around the table and everyone should say something that they are thankful for this year." I say.

"Oh, that's a wonderful idea!" Effie exclaims and everyone else agrees.

"Okay, well, I guess I'll start," I say and then ponder for a moment. There are so many things that I could say; so many things that I am thankful for this year. "I'm thankful for a lot of things this year, but I would have to say that the thing I am most thankful for this year would have to be wonderful wife." I say as I clasp Katniss' hand. "She's always been here for me and she gave me the most wonderful gift anyone could give me." It is obvious what gift I am referring to and everyone at the table awww's. Next, it is Haymitch's turn.

"A lot has happened this year." He starts out. "But I didn't need to think twice about what I am most thankful for this year. This year, I am most thankful for the woman that has been by my side even when I thought I was alone. She never gave up on me and loved me even though I don't deserve a woman as wonderful as her. I am and always will be most thankful for the love of my life, Effie." He turns to look at Effie as he says that last part. She is smiling and her eyes are glistening with tears. Haymitch and Effie kiss and, once again, everyone at the table awww's.

"I guess it's pretty obvious what I am thankful for," Effie says as she grasps Haymitch's hand in hers. "Haymitch has made me so happy this year and I can't even imagine my life without him. I love you," She tells him and they kiss again. It's Mrs. Everdeen's turn.

"I am thankful for my daughter and her wonderful husband who have brought me so much joy over the years. I am thankful that they are happy and have their own little family." Mrs. Everdeen says and I can't help but smile. Haymitch proposes a toast to the Mellarks and everyone raises their glasses.

"I, like everyone else, have so much to be thankful for this year. Katniss and Peeta have been great and my wonderful husband, who is the love of my life. I would have to say that this baby is what I am most thankful for this year," Johanna says as she rests her hand on her stomach which is just starting to grow.

"I am also thankful for the baby." Nash says in his quiet voice. "I never thought I would want to be a father until I met Johanna. That's when I knew that I wanted her to have my children." The soon-to-be parents kiss. Next, it is Gale's turn.

"I'm very thankful that you all invited me to your gathering. It's nice to see old friends after all these years. I guess I would have to be most thankful for Katniss this year because she's allowed me into this wonderful life full of friends and family." He says and he and Katniss share a sentimental hug.

"These passed fifteen years have certainly been a rollercoaster," Katniss begins, squeezing my hand. "I have so much to be grateful for. I have my wonderful husband, our two beautiful, healthy babies, and a great family. It's funny, because the only people here that I'm related to are the twins and my mom, but it just feels so natural to call you all my family.

Peeta "Haymitch, you've gone from my alcoholic mentor to my now sober father figure. Effie, you've gone from the annoying Capitol escort to a grandmother to my children. Mom, we never really talked until around two years ago, but I wouldn't trade our relationship for anything. I love you so much. Johanna, you've been a great friend over the years and I can't help but think of you as my sister. Nash, you make Johanna so happy, which makes me happy because, after everything she's been through, she deserves to be happy. Gale, I'm so happy that we're patching up our friendship. I've missed you over the past fifteen years.

"Peeta, there is absolutely no way that I would have been able to make it through these fifteen years without by my side. You keep away the nightmares and you're always there to comfort me at night. You've loved my unconditionally and without any hesitation. Together we created two beautiful children and I couldn't picture my life any different than it is now and I know that if it weren't for you, none of this would be happening. Thank you so much." Katniss concludes her speech by kissing me.

We finish our Thanksgiving dinner and then retire to the living room for dessert. Slices of pie and cups of coffee are distributed throughout the room. We spend the rest of the night sharing memories and laughing.

I can't help but take a moment to look at all the faces in the room and marvel at how much they have all changed over the years since the 74th Hunger Games. We were each broken at some point, but, together, we managed to put all the pieces back together. Yes, there is very much to be thankful for this year.

* * *

><p><strong> Everyone was so sentimental! I hope you all enjoyed that chapter! I did notice that I never wrote a thanksgivingchristmas/or New Years chapter for the year the twins were born! I'm so sorry about that! Anyhow! Please review! Your feedback means the world to me! :D Okay, goodnight!**


	39. Chapter 39

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! Hope you love it! Disclaimer: I do not own THG, Suzanne Collins does.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty-Nine<span>

Katniss' POV

_*One Month Later*_

It is Christmas Eve and our house has been completely full for the last month; everyone, except for Gale, had stayed and was going to stay through the entire holiday season. I had to admit that it was nice having so much family around.

Last week, we had all gone out and picked the perfect tree from the woods. That tree was currently standing proudly in the corner of the living room, adorned with beautiful lights and ornaments. The outside of the house had been decorated with colorful lights and plastic, light-up figures. The inside of the house smelt of peppermint and gingerbread and was full of Christmas cheer.

Peeta, my mom, and Effie had been baking the entire week. Cookies of all shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors filled the kitchen. I'm sure I would be gaining ten pounds just from this holiday season alone.

To give Peeta a break from his constant cooking during the holiday season, we decide to order food in from a small diner in the town square. The food arrives and we all gather around the large dining room table to enjoy our Christmas Eve dinner.

After dinner, we all retired to the living room. Haymitch put an old Christmas record onto his antique record player that has been in his family for many, many generations. We all ate desert and joked around and just enjoyed each other's company as the cheery music played in the background.

Around seven, Peeta and I put the twins to bed. I sing an old Christmas song to them and they fall asleep before I have even finished. All the excitement for the past month has really been tuckering them out.

Back downstairs, we start the game of Secret Santa that we had started to do this year. We had all mutually agreed that we wanted to theme to be funny gifts so I knew that this was going to be fun.

"Alright, who wants to go first?" I ask as I take a seat on Peeta's lap. Everyone gives each other glances before Haymitch volunteers. I find the present with his name on it and hand it to him. Inside the shiny, silver bag is T-shirt reading "Old Fart". Everyone in the room, except for Haymitch, bursts into fits of laughter.

"Ha-ha, very funny," Haymitch grumbles.

Next up is Effie and I hand her the box wrapped in silver and gold paper with her name on it. She tears the paper away neatly and Haymitch jokingly asks her if she's planning on saving the paper. Once the wrapping paper has been discarded onto the floor, Effie opens the box and stares down at her gift with wide eyes.

"Well, what is it?" I coax and Effie holds up the very small, very revealing piece of lingerie from the box. The room is, once again, filled with bursts of laughter; both at the obscene gift and Effie ever-growing blush.

"I can't wait to get you home and see how it looks on you," Haymitch growls into Effie's ear.

"Haymitch Abernathy!" Effie exclaims, her face turning even redder. After another bout of laughter, we move on with the gifts. It is now Peeta's turn and I hand him his present. In the box underneath the green and red wrapping paper there are a couple of shirts. I guess shirts are popular gifts with my family. The first shirt has a picture of a rolling pin underneath the words "That's how I roll". The second one has the word "Stud" above the picture of a muffin. Peeta, of course, absolutely loves them. Baking humor is one of Peeta's weird, but lovable quirks.

I am next. Peeta hands me a box wrapped in red paper with snowmen on it. I tear the paper away from the box and peer at my gift. I chuckle to myself as I pull the T-shirt from the box. It reads, in picture form, "Eat. Sleep. Archery"

Up next is Johanna. Her gift is slightly larger than the rest of ours. She tears at the paper to reveal her gift. It is a miniature pine-scented air freshener costume.

"What the . . ." Johanna says in confusion.

"It's for the baby," I tell her, having trouble hiding my smirk of amusement. Johanna just shakes her head and chuckles. It is Nash's turn next. Inside the colorful, Christmas-themed bag there is another T-shirt (Big shock there). The shirt is maroon and reads, in white lettering, "Trust me. I'm a lumberjack."

"I have to say that this family might be the king of stupid gifts," Nash chuckles as he sets his present down. Last, but not least, is my mom. I hand her present to her and watch as she opens it up. She too, receives a T-shirt (we really need to be more original with our gifts next year). It reads "Grandma is the name. Spoiling is the game." Everyone chuckles at how true that phrase is for my. After cleaning up the all the wrapping paper, we all head to bed. Tomorrow is Christmas!

I wake up to Peeta kissing my forehead and whispering to me to get up. I can hear all the noise coming from downstairs and reason that I must be the last one up. I pull myself from the warm bed, pull on my robe, and Peeta and I head downstairs.

Everyone gathers in the living room for the official gift opening. We decide to start out with Phoenix and Ivy, who are currently on Effie and Haymitch's laps. Since they are now older and more coordinated with their hands, unwrapping the presents is easier and more enjoyable to watch. The first two presents are sets of shirts. The first set has one shirt that says "Double" and the other says "Trouble". The second set has "Thing One" and "Thing Two" written on them. They are really adorable! The twins get a whole host of educational toys from everyone in the family. It really makes me feel lucky to know that there are so many people that care about my babies.

Next, Johanna and Nash open their gifts. Nash gets a new guitar; Johanna had recently brought it to my attention that Nash loves to play the guitar and that his old one was starting to get pretty beat up. Johanna gets a new knife set, which makes her happy.

This year, we had gotten them a few joint gifts. The first was the first to books of the _What to Expect _series: _What to Expect to When You're Expecting _and _What to Expect: The First Year. _Johanna thanks me repeatedly and says she can't wait to start reading. The other gift, from Peeta and I, is an all-expenses paid trip the wonderful beaches of District 4. Johanna's excitement is barely contained as she hugs me tightly and thanks me at least a million times.

Next, it is my mom's turn. She gets mug that reads "World's Greatest Grandma", a locket with a picture of the twins, a few books, and some medicinal herb plants. Effie gets a sterling silver bracelet with a charm reading "World's Greatest Grandma" and some new pairs of shoes. Just as we're about to move onto Haymitch, he stops and turns to Effie.

"Effie, I know you said that you didn't need an engagement ring, but you deserve one." He says as he pulls out a very expensive looking diamond ring. Effie is tearing up as Haymitch slips it onto her finger. Seeing those two together makes me think of how Peeta and I were in that stage of our relationship.

We move onto Haymitch's presents. He gets a T-shirt that says "World's Greatest Grandpa", a very expensive diamond-encrusted watch, and a very special present from us. Peeta and I decided that, since Haymitch gave up alcohol, he needed a new hobby. So, our present to him was a kit to build a 1974 yellow Chevy Corvette. I could tell by the look in his eyes that Haymitch was really excited about this gift.

It is my turn next. I stressed to Peeta that I didn't want much this year. I really already had everything I could ask for. But, being Peeta, he couldn't let a Christmas go by without getting me something. So, this year, I received a new, hi-tech, state of the art, custom built long bow. Leave it to Peeta to know exactly what I wanted/needed. My old bow had started to lose its touch over the past couple of years. Lastly, it was Peeta's turn. Like every year, he received the usual cooking and art supplies. But, I had gotten him something I knew he was going to love.

"You said you were thinking about taking photography up. So, I got you a digital camera." I tell Peeta as he observes my gift.

"Thank you," He tells me and pecks me on the lip. We spend the rest of the day enjoying the company of our wonderful family.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you loved it! Here is the link to that Pine tree Air Freshener baby costume: imgres?hl=en&amp;gbv=2&amp;biw=1366&amp;bih=624&amp;tbm=isch&amp;tbnid=MdwN1JA235xyoM:&amp;imgrefurl= Rasta-Imposta-Baby-Tree-Car-Freshener-Costumeinfo&docid=pDMhY2eHRRamwM&imgurl= images/pi/89/ce/82/44554961-260x260-0-0_Rasta%252BImposta%252BBaby%252BTree%252BCar%252BFreshener% &w=260&h=259&ei=L9_XT_bzHYGf6QHxy8i9Aw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=852&vpy=285&dur=74&hovh=207&hovw=208&tx=136&ty=81&sig=106457164742159383780&page=1&tbnh=128&tbnw=128&start=0&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0,i:116**

**Wow, that's a long link! **

**Hey! I don't know you!  
><strong>

**And this is crazy!  
><strong>

**But here's my fanfic  
><strong>

**So, review it maybe?  
><strong>

**Haha, totally just came up with that randomly! :D  
><strong>


	40. Chapter 40

**Hey, Everyone! I would ****first like to start off with answering a questions some of you might have: In chapter one, I said that President Snow had died five years before the beginning of this story. I did that for a specific reason that doesn't quite make itself known in this fanfic, but will in my sequel (yes, I will be writing a sequel). I hope that clears up some confusion for you all. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own THG  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Forty<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Six Days Later*_

I am just putting finishing the dishes when the sound of someone barging into our house causes me to jump.

"Haymitch, it is incredibly rude to go barging into people's houses!" I hear Effie exclaim.

"Not when something important is happening," Haymitch replies. I can hear the urgency in his voice. "You guys are gonna want to see this!" Haymitch calls from the living room. In the living room, Haymitch has turned on the TV and is staring at it intensely. Johanna and Nash are sitting together on the couch.

"What's going on?" I ask as I enter the living room, Peeta right behind me.

"Caesar Flickerman is interviewing all the candidates for the Council of Peace." Haymitch replies, his eyes glued to TV.

"They do that for every election. I don't see what has you so worked up." Peeta tells him as we take a seat on the couch.

"Take a look at all the names," Haymitch tells me. At first, I don't see anything odd about the candidates, but then I see it: Desmond Remington's name in on the list.

"He's running for a spot on the Council," I say solemnly, knowing that Haymitch will know who "he" is.

"Do you think he's going to try to end the democracy if he gets into the Council?" Peeta asks.

"That's hard to know. He's not going to openly say that on national TV. There's no way he would win then." I reply.

"Exactly," Haymitch agrees. "He's going to be sneaky about it. He already has a large amount of followers. Once he gets into office, he'll start telling everyone what they want to hear so more and more people will follow him. Once he has enough followers, he'll try to change the government. Since he'll have so many of the people on his side, the other representatives on the Council won't be able to do much about it. In a democracy, the power lies with the people. In democracy, majority rules," Haymitch concludes.

We all watch in silence as the interviews officially begin. As usual, they start with District 12 and then work their way up. I recognize the four candidates from District 12. I personally would vote for the two candidates that are already the representatives for District 12, Micah Davenport and Rachel Wiley.

Just like every year, each candidate has a short video biography that is shown before the actual interview begins. I find myself growing rather bored as Caesar Flickerman interviews the four candidates from each district. I was never too intrigued by politics.

Finally, Desmond Remington makes his appearance on stage (Of course, he's last). His video biography shows him growing up in the suburbs of District 2. He attended private academies and universities before becoming a Peacekeeper and being sent to District 9. After the Rebellion, he and his wife moved back to District 2. Desmond took a job as a security guard and personal trainer. The video also makes sure to put a lot of emphasis on his wife, who died just a few years ago due to the fact that Desmond's job didn't pay enough for him to be able to pay for her treatment. It is obvious that the audience is just eating that story up.

"So, Desmond," Caesar begins. "You've certainly led quite a life so far."

"That's true, Caesar." Desmond agrees. His voice is silky smooth and he holds himself with a confidence that I know the crowd loves. He reminds me so much of Peeta as he converses easily with Caesar.

"Desmond, please tell me, and all of Panem, why you are hoping to gain a spot on the Council of Peace," Caesar requests.

"Well, Caesar, I think that I could make a real difference. Don't get me wrong, I think that the Democracy is one of the greatest things that have ever happened to Panem, but I think that there is still room for improvement." Desmond replies.

"What kinds of improvements did you have in mind?" Caesar inquires.

"For one, better healthcare and health insurance," Desmond states. "Panem, while it is superior in some aspects, seems to lacking any sort of organized healthcare and health insurance. I think that's something that our citizens would benefit from very much.

I'd also like to bring back peacekeepers, as a form of national security. Forces would be stationed in each of the twelve districts and they would be responsible for keeping order and making sure that any crimes or disturbances are taken care of accordingly." Desmond says.

"It sounds like he's bringing everything from the old Panem back," I scoff, anger boiling deep inside me.

"Not necessarily," Peeta says. "I think he's just trying keep everyone safe." I roll my eyes at his oblivious ways. Only Peeta would be unable to notice this man's ulterior motives.

"Desmond, I do believe that's all the time we have for today. I hope to see you sometime in the future. Good luck in your campaign." Caesar concluded as he shook Desmond's hand.

"Thank you, Caesar." Desmond replies before turning to the crowd and flashing a winning smile. _Oh, this guy is good with crowds, _I think to myself.

"I don't see why you all don't like him. I kinda like his ideas." Peeta states once the interviews have ended.

"Peeta, he's threatening everything we fought for. Bringing back peacekeepers is just the start! Next thing you know, our children are fighting for their lives in the Hunger Games!" I exclaimed, completely peeved at Peeta.

"You don't know that! Plus, there's no way that the rest of the Council would let that happen." He retorts.

"I'm sorry, but I must agree with Katniss," Haymitch says.

"Me too," Johanna agrees. "He might not have an ulterior motive, but we have to be safe. Too many sacrifices were made for this new Panem to come about. We can't let anything or anyone endanger it." I nod at Johanna's words, images of all the people that died for the Rebellion flashing through my mind: Sweet little Prim who died trying to save others, Finnick who died to save _me, _Cinna who died because of his little act of rebellion with my mockingjay dress. No, I would not let _anyone_ threatened what they had died for.

* * *

><p><strong>Tension are rising! Does Desmond Remington pose that big of a threat? Will the Hunger Games be reinstated? I guess you'll have to keep reading, won't you? ;-) <strong>

**P.S. Please review! I enjoy hearing from you guys! :)  
><strong>


	41. Chapter 41

**Hey, Everyone! Sorry its been a few days since I updated. Couldn't quite get myself in the right mood to write this chapter. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy it! Disclaimer: I do not own THG  
><strong>

**P.S. A shout out to _KidFreak _who read all 40 chapters in one day. Wow! Lord knows I don't have the attention span to do that!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Forty-One<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Three Months Later*_

Today is the day that absolutely no one could have seen coming fifteen years ago. Today is Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket's wedding day.

I am currently in the little room in the back of the little chapel that sits on the outskirts of the town square in District 12. Effie looks absolutely gorgeous in her strapless, ivory white wedding dress with its ruffles along the train. Her golden blonde hair flows down her back freely, a tiara placed on the top of her head. If anyone ever looked like a princess on their wedding day, it's Effie.

Peeta knocks on the door before sticking his head in to give us a five minute warning. I sigh and look at myself in the mirror once more. I wrinkle my nose as I look at myself in the light pink bridesmaid dress. At first, I had been against being Effie's maid of honor, but Peeta kept telling me how much it would mean to Effie and Haymitch. Needless to say, I caved.

As the music started, Octavia started her way down the aisle. Next is Venia. Then, it is my turn. I can feel my heart pounding heavily against my ribcage and I have to take a few breaths to steady myself. I do not want to walk too fast.

Peeta watches me as I descend the down the aisle. There is a twinkle in his eyes as he smiles at me. For a second, I am reminded of my own wedding day all those years ago. My heart was in the same position it is now, possibly worse if that is even possible. The only thing that was able to steady me was Peeta's eyes on me. The look of complete love and commitment stomped out any doubts I had previously had. There was no way that I had been making a mistake.

I finally reach the altar and take my place next to Venia. The tune of the music changes and the few guests that are attending the wedding stand up. Effie appears at the swinging doors and I can hear Haymitch take a sharp breath.

I turn my head ever so slightly to catch a glimpse of Haymitch. His eyes are completely focused on Effie. His lips are slightly curled upward in a smile. He breathing is heavier than it was moments ago. This is the appearance of man that is just moments away from marrying the woman of his dreams. Effie finally reaches the altar and takes Haymitch's hand as they turn together to face the altar.

"Today, we are gathered here together to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony." The Justice of the Peace begins. "True love is something that only comes once in a lifetime. So, when we find it, we must grab onto it with both hands and never let go." My eyes meet Peeta's. It scares me to think that I almost lost my true love. I don't know how I would be able to function if I ever lost Peeta. He keeps me sane. He keeps me safe. Never will I let him almost slip through my fingers again.

"Do you, Effie Trinket, take Haymitch Abernathy to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Effie says, her voice cracking at the end as she holds back tears of happiness.

"Do you, Haymitch Abernathy, take Effie Trinket to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"Hell yeah," Haymitch smirks, holding back his own tears; everyone, including Effie, chuckles.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Haymitch pulls Effie into his arms and they kiss for the first time as husband and wife. Once the happy couple finally break apart from each other, they lead the way out of the chapel and over to the reception hall that is just a few blocks from the chapel.

"You look gorgeous," Peeta says as we walk, our hands intertwined.

"You don't look half bad yourself," I tell him with a smirk.

As we enter the reception hall, I seriously question whether there is any pink left in all of Panem. The table clothes are pink. The flowers are pink. Even the fine china is pink! Well, I suppose there are worse colors to pink as the theme of your wedding.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Mr. and Mrs. Haymitch Abernathy!" The DJ exclaims and we all applaud as Haymitch and Effie enter the reception hall.

Haymitch leads Effie onto the dance floor and the DJ starts the music. It had taken Haymitch and Effie a very long time to agree on a song for their first dance. They finally chose one that I think fits them perfectly.

_There's a calm surrender to the rush of day_

_When the heat of the rolling world can be turned away_

_An enchanted moment and it sees me through_

_It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you_

Everyone watches as the newlyweds move across the dance floor. Haymitch spins Effie and she giggles as she runs her fingers through his blonde hair.

_And can you feel the love tonight_

_It is where we are_

_It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer_

_That we got this far_

_And can you feel the love tonight_

_How it's laid to rest_

_It's enough to make kings and vagabonds_

_Believe the very best_

_There's a time for everyone if they only learn_

_That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn_

_There's a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors_

_When the heart of this star-crossed voyager beats in time with yours_

Everyone claps as Haymitch and Effie kiss as their dance ends. The reception continues. We are served a glorious dinner of roast pheasant and fresh vegetables.

"Katniss, will you dance with me?" Peeta asks me. I've never been one to dance for the enjoyment of it. But tonight is special. I nod and allow Peeta to lead me onto the dance floor.

_It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart_

_Without saying a word you can light up the dark_

_Try as I may I could never explain_

_What I hear when you don't say a thing_

Our lips meet in a gentle kiss.

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me_

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall_

_You say it best when you say nothing at all_

_All day long I can hear people talking out loud_

_But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd_

_Old Mr. Webster could never define_

_What's being said between your heart and mine_

"I love you," He whispers to me as we sway to the music.

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me_

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall_

_You say it best when you say nothing at all_

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me_

_There's a truth in your eyes sayin' you'll never leave me_

_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall_

_You say it best when you say nothing at all_

"I love you, too." I tell him.

* * *

><p><strong>So romantic! Haymitch and Effie are finally married! I wonder how married life is going to treat them? I guess we'll have to wait and see! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review? :)<strong>


	42. Chapter 42

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it! Disclaimer: I do not own THG.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Forty-Two<span>

Haymitch's POV

"Haymitch, stop it!" Effie half exclaimed, half giggled as kissed her neck. I sigh but pull myself from her.

"My apologies, Mrs. Abernathy," I tell her as I sit up next to her. We are on a train that is headed north of District 12. I had been adamant in planning our honeymoon and Effie still had no idea where we were going.

"Haymitch, would you please inform me of where we might be headed?" Effie asks as our train comes to halt.

"No can do, Princess. It's a surprise," I tease her as I grab our luggage and head for the jeep that I rented to take us to our ultimate destination. After another hour drive, we finally arrive to our destination.

"Haymitch, it's beautiful!" Effie exclaims as we take in our surroundings. We were in a rather large clearing in the middle of the woods. The special thing about this clearing was the log cabin that sat right in the center.

Effie squeals as I pick her up bridal style and carry her into the cabin. The inside of the cabin is as simple as the outside. The floors are hardwood and there are several bear rugs scattered on the floor. The kitchen is pretty basic, containing just an oven, refrigerator, and a few pots, pans, and plates. The bedframe is made of pine wood and the mattress is stuffed with goose feathers.

"I know it's pretty simple compared to the fancy Capitol, but-"

"I love it," Effie tells me as she wraps her arms around me and kisses my lips.

Effie and I walk out to the clearing, hand in hand. In my other hand is picnic basket containing the dinner that I prepared us as Effie freshened up. The sun is just starting its decent below the horizon as Effie and I enjoy our first dinner as man and wife.

"I love you," I whisper into her ear, gently kissing her neck.

"I love you, too." She replies, turning her head and bringing her lips to meet mine. I lean into the kiss, slipping my tongue into her mouth. Effie fingers tangle in my hair as our tongues duel for dominance. Oh, how I love this woman!

We break apart and stare into each other's eyes for a moment. The way she looks at me makes my heart skip a beat and I know that I need her. We clean up our mess and grab the picnic basket before we head back to the cabin.

Behind the log wall of the cabin, Effie and I resume our previous make out session. I pull her into my arms and kiss her lips passionately. Her arms wrap around my neck as she kisses me back with just as much passion. We fall onto the bed and my hands roam her body.

"Ha-Haymitch . . . can you . . . please, stop." Effie stammers, pushing on my chest.

"What's wrong, Princess?" I ask her, sitting up beside her.

"Oh, um . . . I'm just . . . a little nervous . . . I suppose," She stammers out. Her breathing is ragged and a thin layer of sweat covers her body.

"Hey, there's nothing to be nervous about, Princess." I tell her, rubbing her shoulder soothingly.

"I just . . . never mind."

"No, tell me." I encourage her.

"I don't want to ruin the night," She tells me. Now I'm more curious and a bit concerned.

"You're not going to ruin anything. Just tell me." I persist.

"Oh, well, you know that the . . . the Capitol tortured me during the Rebellion," Effie says quietly. Small alarms begin going off in my head, but I don't interrupt her.

"Ah . . . they um . . . Haymitch . . . they raped me," Effie stammers out before bursting into sobs. My blood runs cold as I pull her into my arms. So many emotions rush through me at once: Anger, sorrow, heartbreak, fear.

"Shh, Ef," I say soothingly. "It's okay. I'm here. Everything's going to be okay. They can't hurt you anymore." My blood boils at the thought of someone hurting my wife like that. Those monsters!

"I-I didn't want to tell you b-but wha-what we w-were doing re-reminded me of . . ." Effie trails off. She doesn't have to finish. I know exactly what it reminded her of.

"Effie, I am so sorry you went through that. I'm so, so sorry." I tell her, holding her tighter.

"It's not your fault, Haymitch. It's in the past." She says.

"There's nowhere to go but forward," I tell her.

"Together," She tells me.

"Together," I confirm.

The sunlight streaming through the curtains makes my eyes flutter open. I sigh when I feel Effie snuggles closer into my side. After Effie and I finished our conversation about what the Capitol had done to her, we took things slower. It was all worth it in the end when I got to make love to the love of my life.

I lied awake, with Effie in my arms, just stroking her soft, golden hair. How could I, Haymitch Abernathy, have ever found a woman this wonderful? It still baffled me as to why she had decided to kiss me that autumn day, but I would forever be eternally grateful to the master force behind it all.

"Good morning," Effie's sweet voice greets me as she begins to wake up.

"Good morning," I tell her, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank you . . . for last night," She tells me, running her fingers over my bare chest.

"You don't have to thank me." I tell her.

"Yes I do. You completely understood and you didn't get violently angry." She says, kissing my cheek.

"I would do anything for you," I tell her and I know that I mean it, 100%.

* * *

><p><strong>Some Hayffie Fluff for ya there! Next chapter there will be some PhoenixIvy/Peeta fluff! Review please?**


	43. Chapter 43

**Hey, Everyone! Another chapter! Three in one day! Wow! I'm totally wiped out from all this writing. Disclaimer: I do not own THG. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Forty-Three<span>

Peeta's POV

"Are you sure about this?" Katniss asks me for the hundredth time this morning.

"Yes," I assure her. "It's just for a couple of hours. You deserve to have some time to yourself. You gotta break in that new bow properly."

"I know. I'm just worried." Katniss replies.

"Everything is going to be fine. I am perfectly capable of watching the twins while I work." I tell her.

"Okay. Have fun, you two." She tells the twins as she gives them both a few more rounds of kisses. Finally, I get Katniss out the door of the bakery.

"While mommy's away, the children will play." I tell my babies as I carry them into the kitchen. I place them in their playpen and then decide to get started on the baking.

I start out with making a fresh batch of cheese buns. Katniss does have a thing for my cheese buns. As I work, the sound of children's giggles fill up the bakery. Now that Phoenix and Ivy are a little older, they actually play.

It's amazing how every day a new part of their personalities comes out. Ever since she could crawl, Ivy was always getting trouble. I swear it was like she was _looking _for it. She loves to climb, too. There have been countless moments when Katniss and I have freaked out because Ivy was climbing up the stairs or onto the couch and it just scared the hell out of us.

Phoenix has always been more cautious. He'd rather just sit on the floor and play with some blocks or scribble on a piece of paper. I had dozens of his "masterpieces" taped onto the wall in the bakery. Our children were definitely polar opposites.

I sighed as I put the cheese buns into the oven to bake. I couldn't wait till the day when I got to teach my kids how to bake. Suddenly, I got a very fun idea.

"How would you two like to help daddy make some cupcakes?" I ask Phoenix and Ivy as I squatted down to face them. Ivy giggled and Phoenix gave me a slight smile. I took those as yeses. I lifted each of them onto the counter where I had all the baking stuff.

"Okay, the first thing we do and we measure and mix all the dry ingredients." I tell the twins as I pull out the bags of flour, sugar, baking powder, and cocoa. I measure all the dry ingredients before pouring it all into a big ceramic bowl and mixing it together.

"Now, we mix all the wet ingredients together." I say as I turn around to get the eggs, milk, and butter out of the refrigerator. When I turn around, I laugh out loud at the scene in front of me. The counter and Phoenix are covered in white powder. Ivy, making her innocent face, has the same white powder caked on her little hands.

"What did you do, little girl?" I ask Ivy, putting my hand on my hips in a fake disapproving look. She just giggles back at me and throws more power into the air. I chuckle before grabbing a wet rag and wiping up the counter and my children.

"You know, mommy isn't going to be happy if she finds out about this." I tell Ivy as I tickle her tummy. I kiss both my children's heads and re-measure all the dry ingredients. Then I mix all of the wet ingredients before mixing the wet and dry ingredients together. Once the ingredients are all mixed together, I fill the cupcake liners with the delicious tasting batter.

While the cupcakes are baking, I clean up the dishes and counters. I even give Phoenix and Ivy a little taste of the uncooked batter. Katniss says it's not healthy, but I've been doing it since I was little and never got sick.

Once the cupcakes are done and have cooled off, I take them out of the pans and set up all the frostings and other toppings that one could put on a cupcake on the counter.

"Okay you two, I'm gonna let you decorate your own cupcakes." I tell them. Ivy, ever the curious one, sticks her hand in a tub of buttercream frosting. I put a cupcake in front of her and wait to see what she will do. At first, her eyes go from the frosting in her hand to the cupcake in front of her. Eventually, something must click because she takes her handful of frosting and smashes it onto the cupcake. The cupcake is a bit smashed, but that doesn't matter. I am too busy beaming at my beautiful daughter.

"Phoenix, do you want to try?" I ask him. He just stares back at me, almost looking bored. I just chuckle at him as I take his tiny hand in mine and stick it into one of the cans of frosting. He squirms a little, maybe not liking the feeling of the frosting, but he lets me continue. Next, I wipe his hand off on a cupcake. Phoenix is still staring back at me, not amused. I chuckled again and wipe his hand off.

For the next two hours, the twins and I have some serious daddy bonding time. Together we baked a cake and then decorated. That cake was definitely a sight to see. I couldn't wait to tell Katniss about the day we had.

"I'm back," Katniss calls as she enters the bakery.

"We're in the kitchen," I call back as I finish washing one of the bowls that we used today.

"Peeta, I don't think it's a good idea to have the babies in the kitchen." Katniss says as she enters the kitchen.

"It's not like I'm letting them play in the oven." I tell her, setting the bowl on the counter to dry.

"They could still get hurt. You know how curious Ivy is. What if she touched a hot pan or fell. These floors are really hard and she could really get hurt if she fell on them." Katniss nags.

"Katniss, I've been watching them like a hawk." I tell her.

"It only takes a second of distraction," Katniss retorts and I sigh in frustration. She's been so uptight these past few weeks! It's gotten rather annoying.

"Why have you been so uptight lately?" I ask her as I wipe off a counter.

"I haven't been uptight. I've been stressed." She replies snippily.

"What's there to be stressed about?" I ask her.

"Oh, I don't know! Maybe the man that seems to be threatening everything we fought so hard for!" She exclaims.

"I still don't see what's so bad about Desmond Remington." I tell her. "I think all your fears are getting in the way of your judgment." Katniss just looks at me and I know that I've crossed a line.

"Katniss, I didn't mean it the way it came out," I try to explain.

"Sure you didn't," She replies as she picks the twins up from their playpen. "We're going home. See you later." She leaves with the twins and I am left in the kitchen feeling like an idiot.

* * *

><p><strong>Started out fluffy, ended with a fight. That's the girl on fire for ya. I hope you enjoyed and please review!<strong>


	44. Chapter 44

**Hey, Everybody! I would like to take a moment and say how grateful I am for all my readers! I love you guys so much! The amount of positive responses to my story is something I never fathomed! I value your opinions so much! Please keep them coming! If there is something you'd like to see, don't be shy about asking! Especially if its like a vacation or something along those lines for the Mellark family. I could use ideas for some of that stuff. Alright, on with the story! Disclaimer: I dont own THG.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Forty-Four<span>

Peeta's POV

_*One Month Later*_

It's been a month since the miniature fight Katniss and I had and we're still on the outs. And, I know things are only going to get worse because today Desmond Remington is visiting District 12 for his campaign tour.

Katniss hasn't spoken to me in the last few weeks because she's still angry with me for looking on the bright-side with this Desmond Remington character. I still honestly don't see why everyone feels that he's going to bring back the Old Panem. I actually think that some of his ideas are pretty good ones.

"You two ready to go?" Haymitch asks as I descend the stairs.

"Katniss is just finishing getting ready. Are you sure Effie doesn't mind watching the twins while we're at the campaign?" I ask.

"Of course she doesn't mind. She's not too into politics and I think she'd rather watch the little rascals." Haymitch replies. Katniss is finally ready and we drop the twins off with Effie before we head to Town Square for Desmond Remington's speech.

When we reach the Square, it is completely packed. So many people have gotten involved in keeping Panem's new government pure since the democracy began. A stage has been set up in the middle of the Square and folding chairs arranged around it. Haymitch, Katniss, and I take seats that are about ten rows from the front of the stage.

Desmond Remington is seated on a folding chair. He is wearing a black Armani suit with a white shirt and a purple tie. His jet black hair and clean shaven face make him look younger than he probably is. When the mayor introduces him and he stands, he holds himself with pure confidence.

"Progress is defined as the movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage. Three hundred years ago, the country that existed before Panem, and the rest of the world, stopped progressing. This resulted in chaos and the eventual demise of all modern civilization." Desmond begins.

"A hundred years passed and from the ashes a new civilization rose. This new civilization was called Panem. Panem was ruled under the hand of a powerful dictatorship party. Then, the twelve districts of Panem rebelled against this dictatorship. This rebellion lasted for five long, tormented years. These years were known as the _Dark Days._ It is said that for every Capitol citizen, two rebels died and District 13 became nonexistent.

"As punishment for the first rebellion, the Hunger Games began. Each district was required to send one man and one woman, between the ages of twelve and eighteen, to train in the art of fighting and survival and be prepared to fight to the death. Twenty-four went in, only one came out." I feel Katniss stiffen and grab onto my hand. I squeeze her hand back in support.

"That is, until the Seventy-Fourth Hunger Games, in which a remarkable and history making event occurred: There were two victors. These two victors worked together with secret forces to begin the second Rebellion. This Rebellion formed the government what we have today: Our Democracy.

"But, as time has gone on, the progress of Panem has slowed incredibly and I fear if progress shall continue to slow, that Panem too will fall into chaos and eventually cease to exist. That is why I am here today, standing before you. I believe that I can keep this nation moving forward.

"How, you ask, do I plan on doing that? Well, let me tell you that I have spent many, many years studying the greatest civilizations that existed in the past. I believe that, if we all work together, we can achieve a perfection of sorts. Progress is the key to perfection." And, with that, Desmond Remington concludes his campaign speech in District 12.

The crowd has mixed reactions to his speech. Many people are giving standing ovations, completely in love with what Desmond Remington has proposed. Others are very angrily shouting obscene things at Mr. Remington as he exits the stage.

Katniss is completely still next to me, her hand clutching at mine. I can't tell if she's angry, afraid, or what. Haymitch is the same way. Both he and Katniss are almost catatonic.

"Are you two okay?" I ask, gently shaking Katniss' shoulder.

"What?" Katniss asks as she blinks a few times and comes back to reality.

"Are you okay, honey?" I ask her again.

"I'm . . . fine." She replies. "Just a little bit . . . I don't even know."

"Well, we should bring Haymitch back to reality." I tell her. Katniss studies Haymitch for a minute before brutally punching him in the arm.

"Ouch!" He exclaims. "Was that really necessary?"

"I figured it'd be the quickest way to bring you back to the real world." Katniss says. Haymitch just rolls his eyes and we get up and make our way back to Victor's Village.

"How was it?" Effie asks as soon as we enter the house.

"I don't know how to describe it," Katniss says, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"It wasn't that bad," I tell her, sitting down on the couch.

"Why do you keep defending this guy?" Katniss snaps.

"I happen to think he has good ideas. Just because he looks like a bad guy, doesn't mean he is." I tell her.

"No, the fact that he held riots in the Capitol makes me a little skeptical about all his 'great' ideas." Katniss shouts back.

"He's fighting for something he believes in. You should at least respect him for that. You did the same thing fifteen years ago." I retort. Katniss just stares back at me and I can tell by the fire behind her eyes that she is beyond pissed off at me. I sigh in frustration because I know that I'll be sleeping on the couch tonight. Katniss doesn't say anything else. She just storms from the room and up the stairs.

Haymitch, Effie, and I remain awkwardly in the living room. I rest my head in my hands and let out another sigh of frustration. I could already tell that things were going to be quite rocky for a while now. Great. Just great.

* * *

><p><strong>Things are getting a bit rocky for our favorite couple. I wonder what's going to happen next? I hope you enjoyed! Please review! AND HAVE A GREAT DAY! :D<strong>


	45. Chapter 45

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter! I'm sure you're all anxious to see how things unfold. Just two things before I let you read. 1) I know some of you would love to see Effie and Haymitch have a baby (and some of you, not so much), but I'm pretty sure that Effie is way beyong child bearing age at this point. But don't worry, because once this story is finished I will probably start on my long list of Hayffie fanifics. 2) Is Madge dead? I can't remember if she died in the bombing of District 12 or not, so I'd appreciate someone helping me out here. Alrighty, thank you and you may read as soon as you read this Disclaimer: Even though I'm an OK writer, there is NO way I would have ever thought up the Hunger Games. Suzanne Collins is the bomb (no pun intended lol)  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Forty-Five<span>

Katniss' POV

_*The Next Day*_

"How have you been, Mrs. Mellark?" my doctor asks me as h pulls on a pair of latex gloves.

"Well," I reply as the doctor feels the glands in my neck, checks my reflexes, and looks into every orifice on my head.

"So far, everything checks out well. I would just like to get a blood test to make sure there are no abnormalities going on in your body that may not have expressed themselves outwardly yet." The doctor says and I just nod. Honestly, I'm too tired to care what he's doing.

I didn't sleep at all without Peeta by my side. It's amazing how you get so used to sleeping next to someone for so many years and then, when they aren't there, you feel weird, even lost. Peeta and I have been in an argument for the past month over this political campaign. We're two completely different people; of course we're going to have different views on some subjects.

The nurse draws my blood and tells me that the results would be ready in about twenty minutes. After she leaves, I sigh loudly as I pick up an outdated magazine. I flip through page after page of pointless articles and pictures.

"Mrs. Mellark, the results of your blood test are quite interesting." The doctor tells me.

"Good interesting or bad interesting?" I ask him, slightly worried that something is wrong.

"That depends on how you feel about kids," He replies.

"Excuse me?" I ask him, a little bit confused.

"Mrs. Mellark, you are pregnant." The doctor tells me with a smile. My mind starts to reel. Pregnant! Of course I find out I'm pregnant when Peeta and I are possibly having the biggest fight of our marriage. I quickly thank the doctor and, after making an OB/GYN appointment with Dr. Monroe, I head home.

The entire walk home, a huge jumble of thoughts is whirling through my head. What if Peeta doesn't want another baby? What if _I_ don't want another baby? I had never really considered having another baby. I was happy with just the twins.

When I enter the house, it quickly becomes obvious that I am alone. Peeta must be at the bakery and the twins were probably with Haymitch and Effie. I sigh as I head over to Haymitch and Effie's house.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Haymitch says as he answers the door.

"Morning," I reply. "You got my kids?"

"They're taking their nap as you speak." Haymitch tells me as we move into the living room. "Hey, you okay?" He asks, probably noticing my strange demeanor.

"I'm fine," I lie.

"Are you sure? You don't look fine." Haymitch persists and I sigh before responding.

"I'll tell you if you promise you can keep it a secret." I say.

"Haymitch can't keep secrets," Effie says as she enters the living room.

"I can to, Princess." He replies as he takes a seat on the couch.

"Not from me, you can't." She tells him, sitting down next to him on the couch.

"Well, if you two can keep this just between us, I'll tell you." I tell them. They both nod in agreement. "I was just at the doctor and it turns out that I'm pregnant."

"Oh, that's just wonderful!" Effie exclaims, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Sweetheart, this is great!" Haymitch agrees as we embrace.

"Yeah," I reply.

"What's the matter? You're not excited?" Haymitch asks me as he observes my lack of enthusiasm.

"I guess that I'm just not all too excited since Peeta and I are kind of on the outs." I explain.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be just as enthused about having this baby as he was about the twins, maybe even more." Effie assures me.

"It's Peeta. The man loves you and your little rascals more than anything in the entire world." Haymitch tells me.

"You're right," I reply. After picking the twins up, I head home to figure out a way to tell Peeta that I'm pregnant.

_*Later That Night*_

Peeta's POV

When I enter the house after a long day at the bakery, the aroma of some very delicious food hits me.

"What's all this?" I ask Katniss as I survey the scene before me. The table is set with the lights turned down and candles lit. Katniss is wearing a very flattering red dress.

"Oh, I just thought that we could have a nice dinner together." Katniss tells me and I catch a hint of apprehension in her voice.

"Where are the twins?"

"Oh, they're with Haymitch and Effie." Katniss says. "Are you ready to eat?" She asks and I nod. We sit across from each other at the kitchen table. After a few minutes, Katniss breaks the silence between us.

"What do you think of the food?" She asks me.

"These baby-back ribs are delicious. I can't imagine how much you had to trade at the butcher shop to get them." I reply taking another bite into the delicious barbeque smothered meat.

"What do you think about the potatoes and onions?" She asks.

"Oh, they're great." I tell her as I take another mouthful of the baby potatoes and onions. For the rest of dinner, Katniss is quiet.

"Are you alright?" I ask her as we are clearing the table.

"I'm fine," She replies as she leaves the kitchen.

I am just putting the twins to bed after picking them up from the Abernathy household, when I hear a strange noise coming from mine and Katniss' bedroom. It almost sounds like Katniss is crying.

"Sweetheart, is something wrong?" I ask as I quietly creep into the room.

"Nothing's wrong," She tells me, wiping her eyes. But I can tell by her red, puffy eyes and her cracking voice that she has, indeed, been crying.

"I don't believe that. Please tell me what's wrong," I say as I sit down beside her on the bed.

"Well, this morning at the doctor's office they took a blood test." Katniss begins and my brain immediately goes to the worst of things. "It's not bad news." Katniss tells me, noticing my worried expression.

"Well, then out with it. No sense in beating around the bush." I encourage her.

"Peeta, I'm pregnant." She says and my breath hitches.

"We're having another baby!" I exclaim. Katniss nods and I pull my wife into my arms and kiss her passionately.

* * *

><p><strong>I do believe the correct reaction is "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPPPP". Katniss is pregnant! Isn't this just wonderful? :D Please review and they'll be more to come soon!<strong>


	46. Chapter 46

**Hey, Everyone! New Chapter! YAY! Some exciting stuff is gonna be happening soon! :) Hope you enjoy! Disclaimer: THG is Suzanne Collins' genius, not mine.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Forty-Six<span>

Katniss' POV

_*One Week Later*_

"I'm so nervous," I say as Peeta and I sit in the waiting room of our OB/GYN's office.

"Katniss, everything is going to be okay. Don't worry," Peeta reassures me, clasping my hand in his and kissing it.

"I just worry that . . . that I'll miscarry again." I tell him anxiously.

"I know, sweetheart." Peeta says, stroking my hair and kissing my temple. "But everything will be okay. I promise you."

"Katniss Mellark," A nurse calls and Peeta and I follow her to the exam room.

"Well, Katniss and Peeta, it is nice to see you both again." Dr. Monroe says as she enters the exam room.

"It's nice to be here," Peeta says with a smile and I just nod weakly back. My stomach has all of sudden decided to take a roller coaster ride of its own, making me feel as if I could throw up at any moment.

"Well, I assume you remember from last time what the drill is." Dr. Monroe says and I instantly lift up my shirt so we can start the ultra sound. Dr. Monroe moves the wand over my stomach and studies the ultra sound machine for a few moments before saying anything.

"Well, it looks like a have a couple of surprises for you." Dr. Monroe says and my heart rate instantly picks up. What does she mean by 'surprises'?

"What do you mean?" I ask her, fear leaking into my voice.

"Well, Katniss, it looks like you're already three months along in your pregnancy." Dr. Monroe says, studying the picture on the ultrasound machine's screen.

"What?" I ask in disbelief.

"You must've not had any major early signs of pregnancy." Dr. Monroe replies.

"What's the other surprise?" Peeta asks, sounding as anxious as I feel.

"Well, it also looks like Katniss is carrying another set of twins." Dr. Monroe tells us, a smile playing on her lips.

"What?" I ask this time in some serious disbelief. "Tell me you're joking!"

"I'm not joking." Dr. Monroe says with a chuckle.

"Twins again," Peeta exclaims in joy. "Katniss, this is wonderful." He says as he kisses my cheek. All I can do is chuckle. Of course I'm having another set of twins!

"Alright, I'm going to run another blood test and get a blood pressure since you are over thirty. We want to make sure everything is going okay." Dr. Monroe says as she begins taking my blood pressure. "Well, you blood pressure is a bit high right now. We'll keep an eye on that and try and make sure it doesn't get too high. It's important to make sure you don't stress yourself out too much. Stress is bad for your body and it's bad for the babies." Dr. Monroe tells us and Peeta and I nod in unison. Peeta and I make another appointment before heading back home.

"I guess we should break the news to Haymitch and Effie," Peeta says as we walk through town, hand in hand.

"And I should call my mom and Johanna later tonight. I'm sure they'll be completely ecstatic." I reply.

"Johanna must be getting really close to her due date," Peeta says.

"From what she's told me, she's so ready to pop." I tell him.

"We're gonna have to take a trip to District 7 once she has the baby," Peeta says.

"Of course we are. I think the twins would like seeing all the trees and they have a lot of nature walks that we could go on." I reply.

"It sounds like we have a vacation to plan," Peeta chuckles.

"How was the appointment?" Effie asks as we enter the house.

"Great," I reply. "We actually have some big news to tell you and Haymitch."

"Oh, how exciting," Effie exclaims. "I'll go and get Haymitch. He's up in the nursery with the twins."

"Alright, what's this big news?" Haymitch asks as he makes his way down the stairs.

"Well, there are actually two things." I start. "The first is that I'm actually already three months pregnant."

"Whoa," Haymitch chuckles.

"Yeah, I know." I reply with a chuckle of my own.

"What's the other news?" Effie asks.

"Well . . ." I start.

"Katniss and I are expecting another set of twins," Peeta finishes for me. At hearing this, Haymitch laughs out loud.

"When you two go for it, you certainly don't beat around the bush," Haymitch chuckles.

"Oh, twins again! This is so exciting!" Effie exclaims.

"It is," I agree, not being able to keep the smile from my face.

"How are you guys gonna tell Phoenix and Ivy?" Haymitch asks.

"I have no idea," I admit. I honestly hadn't really thought about it until now. How were we going to tell the twins? I'm sure they'd be excited, but what are we going to say when they ask us how the babies got here? As if they know we are talking about them, the twins' cries are heard from the floor above.

"We'll go get them," I say as I grab Peeta's hand and head up the stairs.

"Hi, babies," I say as I give them each a kiss.

"Mommy," Ivy giggles, holding her arms out that suggests that she wants me to pick her up. I pick her up and then sit in the rocking chair that is in the corner of the room. Peeta picks Phoenix up and sits on the floor next to the rocking chair, Phoenix in his lap.

"Mommy and daddy have something to tell you," I say, brushing Ivy's brown hair out of her face. Phoenix and Ivy's inquisitive stares encourage me to go on. "Well, Ivy, you're going to be a big sister and, Phoenix, you're going to be a big brother." I tell them. Ivy, ever the curious, cocks her head in confusion.

"Inside mommy's tummy there are two babies." Peeta explains. "And, in a few months, those babies are going to be here and you're going to have to help mommy and daddy take care of them." I stare in wonder at how well Peeta is at explaining things to the twins. He had always been good with words.

"And, when the babies are little older, you can play with them and teach them to do all the things that you learned how to do." I tell the twins. I remember when my mom told me she was pregnant with Prim. She spent a lot of time telling me all the things I could teach Prim to do as we grew up.

I take Ivy's little hand in one of mine and Phoenix's in the other and then I bring them to my tummy.

"Right now, the babies are too little to kick, but in a few months you'll be able to feel the babies kick." I tell them.

"Momma, can we go play with papa now?" Ivy asks in her rather advanced vocabulary and I have to let out a little laugh.

"Of course you can, sweetie." I tell her and Peeta and I bring them downstairs.

As I watch my two children play with Haymitch and Effie on the floor of their living room, I can't help but shake my head at everything that's happened over the past fifteen years. I lean into Peeta's arms and know that I wouldn't want my life any other way.

* * *

><p><strong>TW<strong>**INS AGAIN! Good? Bad? What do you think? And how bout that cuteness up there^? I "awwwed" the whole time I was writing :D I hope you enjoyed and don't forget to leave a review on your way out! :) P.S. I do believe I have the best fans ever **


	47. Chapter 47

**Hey, Everybody! Three chapters in less than three hours! Woohoo! Really, Im just trying to make up for next week when I wont be updating at all because I'll be at camp. I leave Sunday and I'll be back Friday. Sorry about not being able to update but I'm super excited for camp! :) Disclaimer: THG is not mine *sob***

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Forty-Seven<span>

Katniss' POV

_*One Month Later*_

_Bring. Bring. Bring. _The shrill ring of the telephone pulls me from my deep sleep. I groan as I look at the clock. It's two in the morning. Who could possibly be calling at this hour? I reluctantly pull myself from the bed and head down stairs to answer the phone.

"Hello," I say groggily into the phone.

"Katniss, its Nash." Johanna's husband replies.

"Oh, hey," I say. "Why are you calling so late? Is something wrong?" I ask, concerned.

"Oh, no, nothing's wrong. Actually, ah, Johanna just had the baby." Nash tells me and I have to suppress a shriek of excitement.

"Oh, that's great! I need all the details," I tell him.

"Well, it's a little boy, Ash Jacob Hemlock. He's 5 pounds and 9 ounces and he was born at one-thirty-three this morning." He tells me and I swear my smile is as bright as the sun.

"How's Johanna?" I ask.

"She's good. She wouldn't take the epidural so she cursed me out like you wouldn't believe, but it was all worth it." Nash replies.

"Is that Katniss? Let me talk to her." I hear Johanna say in the background.

"Hey," I say as Johanna comes onto the phone.

"Hey, can you believe I'm a mother!" Johanna exclaims.

"Not really," I tell her. "I never imagined that Johanna Mason would have a baby."

"Well, I'm not Johanna Mason. I'm Johanna Hemlock." She tells me and I laugh out loud.

"I'm so happy for you," I tell her.

"Thank you so much. You and that family of yours need to come up here. My son needs to meet his family." Johanna says and I have to choke back tears.

"We'd love to come see you. We actually already started planning a trip. We can't wait to see you." I reply. "Oh, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Johanna asks.

"Well, last month I found out that I'm pregnant." I tell her and I am rewarded with a high pitched shriek of excitement.

"Oh my goodness, this is so wonderful! I can believe it! You're pregnant!" Johanna exclaims.

"There's more, too." I say.

"Spill," Johanna demands.

"Well, I'm already four months along and I'm carrying twins." I tell her with a light chuckle.

"I don't believe it! You and bread boy certainly know how to do it." Johanna chuckles in response. "Hey, I'm sorry, but I have to go. My baby boy is hungry." Johanna says and we exchange goodbyes before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Peeta asks as I come back into the bedroom.

"It was Nash and Johanna. She just had their baby." I tell him as I climb into bed next to him.

"That's great! What are the details?" He asks.

"A baby boy, Ash Jacob Hemlock, he's five pounds and nine ounces and he was born at one-thirty-three this morning." I tell Peeta.

"Oh, that's great. Now I definitely can't wait until we go to District 7." He replies as he wraps his arm around me. I snuggle into his side and we fall asleep together.

I wake up to Peeta kissing my forehead lightly. I groan and snuggle closer into him.

"Katniss, it's time to get up." He whispers into my ear. I groan in response. "I have a little surprise for you." He says. Curiosity gets the better of me and I open my eyes. I'm pretty sure Ivy inherited her curiosity from me.

"What's your surprise?" I ask him as I start to wake up.

"Well, if you want, I thought that we could go to District 7 today and surprise Johanna and Nash." Peeta says. I pull Peeta into my arms and kiss him repeatedly.

"Is that a yes?" He asks.

"Yes it is! Oh, Peeta, this is a great idea!" I tell him. "But, who's going to take care of the bakery?" I ask.

"Effie offered to hold down the fort for me and she said she was going to drag Haymitch there with her." Peeta tells me.

"That will go down well," I joke as the thought of Haymitch and Effie trying to run the bakery for a week passes through my mind.

Three hours later, our SUV is packed, the twins are strapped into their car seats, and Haymitch and Effie are waving goodbye to us as we back out of our driveway.

"Can you believe we're going on our very first family vacation? I'm so excited!" I exclaim as Peeta pulls out of town. We had decided to drive to District 7 instead of taking a train because it would allow us to bring more of the twins' stuff and give us more freedom.

"It's definitely going to be exciting." Peeta agrees as he pulls onto the freeway, heading north. This will most definitely be a very exciting trip.

* * *

><p><strong>I've always liked Johanna. She's one of my favorite characters :) and now she has her own little family! And the Mellarks are going on vacation! Oh yeah, and Effie and Haymitch are working at the bakery! I have this picture of Haymitch in a pink apron stuck in my head . . . :) Please review! <strong>


	48. Chapter 48

**Hey, Everyone! I'm b****ack from camp! And do you know what that means? Well, I'll just tell you. It means that (hopefully) I'll be updating a lot because I want this story to get moving along a bit faster. I'm sure you'd all like a little more action/drama (which will be happening . . . hopefully soon). Well, now I'll let you read (after you read this disclaimer first) - I do not own THG**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Forty-Eight<span>

Haymitch's POV

"Looks like we have the week all to ourselves," I say as I kiss Effie's neck.

"We have a bakery to run this week," Effie tells me and I groan.

"Let's not and say we did. I have something more fun in mind that we could do all week." I growl into her ear.

"We made a commitment to Peeta and we have to follow through on it." Effie says as she gently pushes me away. I sigh in defeat and follow her to the bakery.

"So, what do we do first?" I ask as I lean onto one of the counters in the bakery's kitchen.

"Well, we should start baking. We're a few hours behind so we need to catch up." Effie tells me as she starts collecting supplies from various cupboards and the fridge.

"You want _me _to bake?" I ask her. She can't really be serious.

"Yes, I do." Effie replies. "Now, if you would please mix this." She says, sliding a bowl full of ingredients in front of me. I begrudgingly pick up the wooden and start mixing the ingredients.

Effie and I spend the next few hours baking an array of desserts and breads. I don't think I've ever frosted so many cupcakes in my entire life. On the bright side, I must say that my wife looks absolutely gorgeous in her pink apron. I also love it when she bends over to put things in and take things out of the oven.

"Haymitch, if you spent as much time frosting those cupcakes as you do staring at my ass, you'd be done already." Effie quips as she places a fresh batch of cupcakes on the counter.

"Well, if your ass didn't look so good in that skirt, we wouldn't have a problem." I tell her as I pull her into my arms.

"Haymitch Abernathy, we have far too much work to do." Effie says and, there is something about how serious she is being that makes my next actions uncontrollable. I stick my finger in the pink, buttercream frosting and drop a dollop right onto her cute little nose. I watch as a devious grin spreads across her face and she reaches her arm out to grab something.

"What are you doing?" I ask as she raises her arm above my head. A devilish smile crosses her face as a flood of cake batter lands in my hair and starts dripping down my face.

"You're in for it now, Trinket." I tell her as I spin around, looking for new ammunition. Effie trots to the other end of the kitchen in her red heels, grabbing a few things from the fridge on her way. Just as she is turning back around, I launch a yellow frosted cupcake in her direction. It lands right on the top of her head, the frosting smashing into her hair. I laugh loudly as she shoots daggers at me with her eyes.

I push over a one of the tables to create a fort as Effie does the same. Cupcakes topped with various colors and flavors of frosting fly across the room. Only a few meet their mark, but neither Effie nor I can suppress our laughter.

"I love you," I whisper into Effie's ear as we sit together on the cake covered floor.

"I love you, too." She replies, kissing my lips.

"You taste like frosting," I tell her as our lips part.

"So do you," She responds. "You do realize that we have to clean this up now, right?"

"How 'bout we don't and say we did?" I ask with a grin and she just rolls her beautiful blue eyes at me.

Peeta's POV

_*Very Early the Next Morning*_

My jaw drops in awe as I drive the car through the trunk of a giant redwood tree. District 7 is certainly breathtaking. All the natural beauty that surrounds you is completely amazing.

"I would love to hunt in this forest," Katniss says and I chuckle. Of course that's what she's thinking about. I glance in the rearview mirror and smile at my children. Phoenix is fast asleep, as he's been for most of the ride. Ivy is staring out the window, a look of pure wonder on her face.

I already have a hunch of what my children might be like when they are older. Ivy will most likely be very much into her academics. Her thirst for curiosity is something I hope will stay with her forever.

Phoenix is still partly a mystery at this point. He's much, much quieter and cautious than his sister, but besides that, he hasn't yet shown any signs of the kind of person he might grow up to be. I would love it if he would share my love for baking so that we could bake together in the Mellark Bakery just like my father, brothers, and I did so many years ago.

A few hours later, everyone in the car, except me, is asleep. It's barely five o'clock in the morning. Knowing we were getting close to Johanna and Nash's house, I reach over and gently shake Katniss.

"Where are we?" Katniss asks me groggily, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Probably half an hour from Johanna and Nash's," I reply through a yawn. This whole driving straight through the night is kicking my ass.

Forty-five minutes later, I pull the SUV into Johanna and Nash's driveway. Their house is a rather large log cabin surrounded by a few acres of forests. Just as Katniss and I are getting out of the car, Johanna comes out to greet us.

"Katniss, Peeta, It's so great to see you." She says are she envelopes both of us in a giant hug.

"Should you be up and this excited so soon after having a baby?" I ask teasingly as I hug her back.

"Go ahead and try to get her to take it easy," Nash jokes from the front porch and we all chuckle. Katniss unbuckles the babies from their car seats and she and Johanna take them inside while Nash and I bring our luggage into the house.

"I cannot wait to meet your little baby boy," Katniss gushes as we all stand in the living room. Johanna smiles and moves over to a playpen that is positioned on one of the walls in the room. She brings over a small bundle wrapped in a forest green blanket and hands it to Katniss. I watch in awe as Katniss rocks the tiny baby in her arms.

"He's so cute," Katniss coos. "I can't believe you have a baby."

"Me either." Johanna responds. "I can't believe you're pregnant with twins again!"

"Neither can I," Katniss replies as she rubs her belly that is just starting to expand.

"And you're already four months along! I still don't know how you didn't notice sooner." Johanna says.

"I guess life was just so hectic that I never noticed any of the signs that I had with Phoenix and Ivy," Katniss states.

"I didn't notice I was pregnant until the morning sickness started and then I went to the doctor." Johanna replies.

"I still can't believe we both have families," Katniss says, shaking her head in awe.

"I never thought I would have a family." Johanna admits quietly. "And I have you to thank, Katniss. If it weren't for you, Panem never would have been a safe place to raise kids. I never would have had the courage or desire to have children before I saw you with your babies. Thank you so, so, so much." Katniss just nods in response. She is choking back tears and is unable to audibly respond. I, too, feel great admiration towards my wife who was brave and gracious enough to take this huge step with me. She gave me the most wonderful family I could never have imagined.

* * *

><p><strong>There it is! What'd you think? I hope you enjoyed it! The next chapter or two might be a little more comedic than usual . . . I hope. Oh, and I'd like to share a piece of information with you: I will be writing a sequel to this story once I am finished. What do you think about that? Good? Bad? Horrible? Let me know in your reviews . . . please? P.S. You guys are pretty great :)<br>**


	49. Chapter 49

**Hey, E****ve****rybody! Another chapter! Yay! Hope you like it. Disclaimer: I tried to buy The Hunger Games . . . but Suzanne Collins wouldn't let me . . . so I don't own it :(**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Forty-Nine<span>

Effie's POV

"Haymitch, it's time to wake up." I tell my husband as I gently shake him.

"It's too early to wake up, Princess." He mumbles into his pillow. I sigh and sit down next to him on the bed. I have been up for forty-five minutes already and am showered and dressed for the day. Granted, I would rather be sleeping at four-thirty in the morning then getting ready to go to the bakery, but I made a commitment. It was very bad manners to break a commitment.

"Haymitch," I say, shaking him rougher than I had earlier.

"The sun isn't even up yet," He complains.

"Maybe if you get up, you'll get a little surprise." I whisper suggestively into his ear. He instantly sits up and I chuckle at the fact that my plan worked.

"Good morning," I tell him, kissing his lips gingerly.

"Good morning," He replies, kissing me rougher. I part my lips and Haymitch slips his tongue between us. Our tongues duel for dominance for a long time before I pull away and Haymitch growls in frustration.

"You'll get your surprise later, after we're done at the bakery." I tell him before I get up from the bed and leave the room.

Katniss' POV

_*Five Days Later*_

Peeta, Johanna, Nash, the babies, and I are all enjoying a wonderful picnic lunch on a blanket draped over the forest floor. Peeta and I wanted to do some hiking before we left so we could see the true beauty of District 7.

It had been Nash's idea to turn it into a family affair. Johanna, Peeta, and I all had baby carriers strapped to our backs, since it was the easiest and most convenient way to travel through the forest with our babies.

"I love all the nature here," I tell Johanna as we start repacking our picnic supplies.

"It is pretty great," Johanna replies with a smile. "I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Well, except for maybe District 12, but that would only to be closer to you guys."

"You're welcome at our home any time." I tell her. "We love having you and since we'll have kids somewhat close in age, they'll have to become best friends."

"It's only natural," Johanna replies and we both laugh.

Once all of our stuff is repacked, we start our trek back to Johanna and Nash's house. The sun is shining through the trees as it descends towards the horizon, peaking at us from behind the trees from time to time. Pine needles cover the trail we are walking on, giving the forest floor a soft appearance. The canopy of the trees gives up reprieve from the hot sun, so our trek is rather enjoyable.

"That was so much fun," I tell Johanna as I lay Ivy down in between Phoenix and Ash. I was surprised when neither Ivy nor Phoenix fell asleep during our hike. Now, they are completely tuckered out and sleeping very soundly beside their new friend.

"Katniss, you have no idea how much it means to me that you're here." Johanna tells me as we sit together on the couch.

"You're part of my family. There's nowhere else I'd rather be. This is a big, new step for you and Nash. I want to be here for you both." I reply.

"I just don't think I would have been able to get to this point if it weren't for all your help." Johanna says.

"After everything you've been through, Johanna, you deserve a little happiness. This is your happiness. Enjoy it." I tell her.

"The same goes for you, too." Johanna responds.

_*Two Days Later*_

"I really wish we could stay longer, but if we're gone too long Haymitch and Effie might destroy the bakery." I joke.

"It's fine. We'll be coming to visit you in a couple months for the twins' birthday party anyway." Johanna tells me as we embrace. Goodbye hugs and kisses are exchanged before Peeta and I finally buckle the twins in their car seats and head for home.

The drive back is just as, if not more, brutal than the drive there. Peeta becomes tired around five o'clock in the evening and I offer to drive. But, of course, he declines my offer and stops for a few energy drinks. I try to stay up with Peeta so that he has some company to keep him awake, but I find myself continually drifting in and out of consciousness.

I blink my eyes open to the sun beginning to peak above the horizon. We are just outside of District 12. I reach over and grasp Peeta's hand as we enter District 12, the rising sun shining on our faces. Home sweet home

"Haymitch and Effie must be at the bakery already," Peeta says as we pull into our driveway. I can only imagine what Effie had to do to get Haymitch out of bed so early in the morning to go bake cupcakes.

Peeta and I first bring the babies, who are still fast asleep, into the house and place them in their playpen. Next, we bring our luggage back into the house. It only makes it as far as our couch because we really do not feel like unpacking right now. I move the twins to their rooms and then Peeta and I head to our room for a long, refreshing nap.

My eyes flutter open around noon. Peeta is still fast asleep beside me, his arm around my body. I snuggle closer to him and push some of his hair from his forehead. I kiss his cheek and this makes his eyes blink open.

"Hi," He says.

"Hi," I reply.

"Do you feel like taking a trip to the bakery with me? I wanna check on Haymitch and Effie and make sure the building is still standing." Peeta jokes.

"Sure," I reply and half an hour later, Peeta, the twins, and I are making our way to the bakery.

"I guess it's a good sign that the building is still standing," I tell Peeta as I open the kitchen door to the bakery.

"Yeah, I-" Peeta stops mid-sentence, transfixed on something behind me. I turn my head towards the inside of the kitchen and my jaw drops. Haymitch and Effie are . . . doing the dirty on one of the tables in the kitchen. Haymitch becomes aware of our presence and he and Effie quickly scramble to stop their . . . actions and put their clothes back on.

"Now I need a new table," Peeta says sullenly.

"Now I need new eyeballs, 'because I'm gonna go boil my current ones." I say. Effie's face is redder than I've ever seen it before. Haymitch, while still sporting a small blush, doesn't seem too phased by the incident.

"We have one messed up family," I chuckle with a shake of my head.

* * *

><p><strong>I just had to add that last part . . . I am slightly perverted . . . Anyhow! Please review! I enjoy your feedback. I'm sorry that I didn't spend like any time on the vacation . . . I just did not know what to write . . . So sorry it sucked . . . <strong>


	50. Chapter 50

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Disclaimer: THG is, unfortunately, not mine. :( **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifty<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Two Months Later*_

I am awakened by the sound of giggles surrounding me. When I open my eyes, I am met with the two smiling faces of my first born son and daughter. They are both laying their heads on my now very round belly. I'm only six months pregnant but, since I'm having twins, my belly is already quite large.

"Mommy," Ivy squeals when she sees my eyes open. Phoenix is just staring back at me with a toothy grin.

"Good morning, babies," I say. "Do you know what day today is?"

"Birfday," Ivy squeals in response.

"That's right, baby girl." I chuckle in response as I sit up. "You and your brother are a whole two years old." I tell them as I tickle their bellies furiously. Even Phoenix, always the quiet observer, squeals at my tickles.

"I thought I heard some noise up here," Peeta says as he pokes his head into our bedroom. "Are you guys having fun without me?"

"Ya, daddy," Ivy tells him through her giggles.

"Well, we can't have that, now, can we?" Peeta replies as he jumps onto the bed. Together, we force giggles and squeals from our children with our tickling.

"Mommy, daddy, stop it!" Ivy says through her laughter. Convinced that our children have been 'tortured' enough, Peeta and I cease our tickling.

"Why don't you two go downstairs with daddy and help him decorate while mommy gets ready?" I ask Phoenix and Ivy and they both nod in agreement.

Peeta takes the twins downstairs and I drag myself out of bed. I still can't believe that my babies turn two today! Time has just been flying by way too quickly.

In just a few more months, I will have two more babies to watch after. Peeta and I had decided that we wanted to be surprised about the sexes this time. Granted, that did make painting the nurseries a lot harder, but I figured it would be worth it.

The first nursery, which would be for the first baby, was painted yellow and white. We picked a circus theme because we figured that was pretty neutral. The wallpaper was a repeating image of an elephant and a lion sitting on each end of a big top circus tent. The furniture was oak wood painted a white color. The crib sat on the wall directly to the left of the window and the changing table was right next to it. A white rocking chair sat in one corner near the window.

The second nursery is painted a sea foam green color. Instead of wall paper, Peeta decided to paint waves going along the border of the walls. There were several pictures of lighthouses and sailboats on the walls of the room. The furniture is made of red mahogany and is set up very similarly as the previous room.

Once I am dressed for the day in an orange sundress, something that comfortably fits around my expanding midsection, I head downstairs.

Johanna, Nash, and Ash, who arrived two days ago, are all up and about in the living room. Ivy, under the supervision of Johanna, is holding baby Ash in her arms. I watch them silently from the stairway, wondering how Ivy will be with her two new little siblings.

"Good morning, everyone," I say as I enter the living room.

"Good morning," Johanna replies, looking up from Ivy and Ash.

"Did Peeta already take a picture of that?" I ask Johanna as I gesture to Ivy and Ash and sit down next to Johanna.

"Oh, yeah," Johanna replies with a chuckle. For a good twenty minutes, Johanna and I just watch our children together. Ivy seems very intrigued in the tiny human being. Ash just lies their happily staring at the ceiling.

A few hours later, our house is slightly packed. Haymitch and Effie are over, as is my mom, who arrived this morning for the twins' birthday party. Johanna, Nash, and Ash are also here, obviously.

"Who's ready for cake?" Peeta calls from the kitchen. Ivy and Phoenix both clap their hands excitedly and rush into the dining room.

In the dining room, there are red and green balloons tied to each chair and a chocolate frosted yellow cake sits in the center of the dining room table. Ivy and Phoenix are very excited for the cake, much, much, much more than they were last year.

After cake, we all move back into the living room for presents. First, Ivy and Phoenix open the presents they got from my mom. Being true to her spoiling nature, my mom decided to get the twins each a tricycle that I'm sure cost a pretty penny.

Next are the presents from Haymitch and Effie. Phoenix got a deluxe train set and a few plastic dump trucks. Ivy got a pink baby doll and play food set. From Johanna, Nash, and Ash, they receive a few puzzles designed to aid in their brain function.

"I'm so excited to give them our present," Peeta tells me. I have to agree with him on this. I am almost 100% positive that Phoenix and Ivy will absolutely love our present.

"Alright everyone, we need to move outside for the next present." I announce and everyone starts moving out to our backyard.

Sitting in the middle of our backyard, is an oak wood play set. It is equipped with: two slights, one straight and the twisty, three big kid swings and two baby swings, a tire swing, a set of monkey bars, a rock climbing wall, and a rope ladder. The space up top is big enough to be classified as a type of clubhouse.

The happy squeals and claps from the twins tell me that they do love it. It was rather expensive, but it was more than worth the money to make my babies so happy. Plus, it's big enough to ensure that they'll be using it for many years to come.

"We did well," I tell Peeta as he wraps his arms around me. We watch as Haymitch and Effie push a very happy Phoenix and Ivy in the baby swings for the first time.

"Yes, we did." I reply, leaning my head into the crook of his neck. _I just hope nothing comes in and jeopardizes everything we worked so hard for, _I think to myself.

* * *

><p><strong>Dun dun dun! What do you guys think is going to happen? Sorry this chapter was a bit short. I tried to make it longer, but that just didn't happen. Please review and let me know what you think! Things are going to start getting . . . more interesting now *Evil grin* <strong>


	51. Chapter 51

**Hey, Everyone! Here's the next chapter. This one has a bit of drama in it. I hope you enjoy. Disclaimer: THG is not mine. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifty-One<span>

Katniss' POV

_*One Month Later*_

I am pulled from my deep sleep by several good kicks to my bladder. I groan and pull myself out of bed and drag myself to the bathroom. I love that I'm having more babies, but it would be nice if they refrained from kicking my bladder at six in the morning.

Once I have relieved my bladder, I head downstairs to the kitchen because I am now fully awake. In the kitchen, I find the note that Peeta left me this morning before leaving for work. He started doing this a few years back when I would wake up from a nightmare and be worried about where he had gone. I smile at the note's contents and then begin making myself some decaffeinated coffee. Another thing about pregnancy that sucks is that you have to really limit your caffeine intake.

I am extra tired this morning because it took me so long to fall asleep last night. I have been worried sick for the past couple of weeks to see what today will mean for the rest of Panem. Today is the day that the new members of the Council of Peace will be announced. Just the thought of Desmond Remington having any sort of real power scares me to death. Who knows what he'll do once he's in office!

A few hours later, Peeta, Haymitch, Effie, and I are all sitting in front of the TV in our living room. I decided to put the twins down for the morning nap earlier than I usually would so that they wouldn't be present for whatever may happen during this program.

"Sweetheart, you're practically vibrating." Haymitch tells me. He's right. I am so anxious that I am actually shaking.

"Whatever happens, we'll be okay." Peeta attempts to reassure me. I don't believe him but there is something about Peeta making this promise that slightly calms my anxieties. Slightly

"Welcome, citizens of Panem!" Caesar Flickerman greets from outside the Justice Building in the Capitol. "Today, the new members of the Council of Peace will be announced on live television. Let's get started, shall we?"

As usual, District 12 is first. First, they read the winning male candidate. Micah Davenport, who was already on the Council of Peace as a representative for District 12, is announced as the winner. Haymitch, Peeta, and I rejoice because he has done so much for District 12 in the past couple of years. Next, the winning female candidate is announced. Elizabeth Sawyer. This disappoints me slightly because I had been pulling for Rachel Wiley, who had been the representative for District 12 for a past two years. I simply shrug the change away. My real focus is not on District 12's representatives.

It takes Caesar Flickerman two hours to go through the next eleven districts' representatives. Honestly, if he didn't blab so much we would have been done and hours ago.

Last but not least is the Capitol. There is an obvious change in the demeanor of the people in the room. I can feel Haymitch stiffen next to me. We have to same views on Desmond Remington and, I am sure, he is secretly begging the universe that he will not have won, just as I am.

The camera focuses on the three Capitol candidates. Romulus Darcy, the current representative, has light blonde hair and soft grey eyes. He's done a lot for Panem over the past couple of years and, as far as I can tell, is a good man. Octavius Charm, who has been running for a position on the Council of Peace for a few years and is currently the Head of the Treasury, has red-bronze hair and crystal blue eyes. I wouldn't mind him as a member of the Council of Peace. His ideals are good and it is obviously that he genuinely cares about the citizens of Panem.

Desmond Remington is seated on the far left. His jet black hair is slicked back with hair gel. His mouth is set in a thin line and his surreal, green eyes stare directly into the camera. He is dressed in all black. Everything about him sends off alarms in my head. But there is something that scares me even more; something that I should not be afraid of anymore, but yet I am; something that has haunted me for almost eighteen years. In the chest pocket of Desmond Remington's black suit jacket, there is a single, white rose.

"And the new representative of the Capitol on the Council of Peace is . . ." Caesar Flickerman's voice pulls my attention back to reality. "Desmond Remington." The breath leaves my body. No. This cannot be happening. No. Everything I worked so hard for, everything that all so many of friends and family died for, everything that so many sacrifices were made for is suddenly being threatened.

Beside me, Haymitch is outraged. Peeta and Effie are trying to calm down his fury, but to no avail. I sit silently on the couch. I can feel my heart rate speeding up. I know that I need to calm down. Stress is bad for the babies, especially since I already have pregnancy induced hypertension. But no matter how hard I try my heart pounds harder and harder.

Haymitch is still in a rage. He is completely furious. He is yelling at the TV. Cursing all the people that voted for that "cocky, lying prick", as he so poetically put it. Peeta is doing everything he can to keep Haymitch from smashing our television. Effie has his face in her hands and is whispering sweet nothings to him.

In the background, I hear cries coming from upstairs. I silently get up and go upstairs. Upstairs, Ivy is awake from her morning nap and is crying for attention. I scoop her out of her crib and change her diaper. Once Ivy is wearing a fresh diaper, I sit in the rocking chair with her on my lap.

I am still feeling light headed. Everything in the room seems to be slight off balance. I lean my head against the back of the rocking chair. A headache has suddenly developed in the back on my head and I can feel some cramps in my stomach.

What's wrong with me? Certainly all this can't be just from the sheer shock that Desmond Remington now has a position of high power in Panem, can it? No. Something is very wrong.

I try to call out for Peeta, but my words are choked off with a grunt of pain as another cramp wracks through my uterus. This is very, very bad. Cramps do not hurt this much. No. I am having contractions. At only seven months pregnant.

Again, I try to call out Peeta's name. This time, I make some sort of noise that I hope they can hear downstairs. Hopefully Haymitch calmed down enough that they can hear me.

After ten minutes of no one coming to my aid, I make the decision to go down there myself. I place Ivy on the floor by the rocking chair and use the nearby wall to help me get up. I have to stand still for a minute to steady myself. Everything in the room is spinning. I gag and reach for the wall for support. My sweaty palm glides down the wall. My body follows it. I fall to the ground, landing on my right side. _Help!_ Is all I have time to think before everything around me goes black.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow. My heart is racing just from writing this chapter. Whew. Alrighty then. What'd you guys think of it? Please tell me in your reviews! The next chapter should be up later today. This is where things get somewhat more . . . exciting? (I don't think thats the right word)<strong>


	52. Chapter 52

**Hey, Everyone! It's 11:56 pm! So I still updated again today! Sorry it was so late. There was a storm and our power went out! :P Well, I'll let you read now since I'm sure you're all anxious to see what shall happen next. *Evil grin* Disclaimer: I do not own THG.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifty-Two<span>

Peeta's POV

Haymitch has finally calmed down. Effie, Haymitch, and I are all sitting on the couch, catching out breath.

"Sorry 'bout that," Haymitch says gruffly.

"Don't worry about it," I tell him. That's when I notice that Katniss is not in the living room. "Hey, where'd Katniss go?" I ask. Haymitch and Effie just shrug.

I get up from the couch and head into the kitchen. She is not there, nor is she in the dining room. I poke my head out the back door, but do not find her. I check in the front yard. She isn't there either. I trot up the stairs.

"Katniss, are you in there?" I ask as I knock on the bathroom door. I do the same with our bedroom door. _Where could she be? _I ask myself. Just then, I hear my daughter's cries from her nursery.

My heart stops at the sight I am faced with when I enter the nursery. My beloved Katniss is crumpled on the floor, unconscious. There is blood pooling around the bottom half of her body.

"Help," I call loudly, hoping the Haymitch and Effie will come to my aid. I pick Ivy up and put her in her crib.

Next, I quickly knelt down next to Katniss and placed my hands at the pulse point in her neck. Her heart was still beating, but it was beating way too fast. She had already lost a lot of blood.

"Help," I call again as I tried to sit Katniss up.

"What's wrong?" Haymitch asks as he rushes into the room. "Oh, god, what happened?"

"I don't know. We have to get her to the hospital." I tell him.

"I'll call 911," Haymitch says as he bolts out of the room as fast as he came in.

"Oh, dear, what's happened?" Effie asks as she enters the room.

"I don't know," I say, choking back tears. "Effie, I need you to take Ivy and Phoenix for me. Haymitch is calling 911. I need you guys to me-meet me at the ho-hospital." I stammer my request.

"Oh, of course," Effie replies instantly and takes Ivy from the room.

I manage to sit Katniss up and pull her into my arms. When the paramedics arrive, Katniss' head and upper body are lying in my lap. My face is wet with tears. They get her onto a stretcher and load her into the ambulance. I sit in the corner of the ambulance and watch silently as two of the paramedics work on my wife.

As soon as we got into the ambulance, they hooked up a heart monitor and a baby monitor to her. Then, they proceeded to place an oxygen mask around her nose and mouth, as well as start a blood transfusion. The ride to the hospital is mostly a blur for me. I just stare at Katniss' face the entire ride to the hospital.

I can't lose her. Not now. Not after everything we've been through together. She's the love of my life. There's no way I would have been able to get through everything I got through without her. She's everything to me. She's my best friend. She's my wife. She's the mother of my children.

We arrive at the emergency room and Katniss is quickly rushed into the hospital. The doctors give her more blood and hook up an IV before sending her upstairs to labor and delivery. I trail behind, still completely confused.

"Peeta Mellark," I hear Dr. Monroe call and I pull my head out of my hands long enough to make eye contact.

"I'm sure you're anxious for some information," She begins. "Well, it seems that Katniss has had a placental abruption. Now, there a several factors that could have caused this. Katniss is in her thirties and she has had hypertension during her pregnancy. The fact that she is having twins also adds to the scenario and, of course, the stress she's been under.

"Now, since the placenta has been detached from the uterine wall, the babies are not getting vital oxygen and nutrients. Katniss is currently being prepped for a Caesarian-section, but we need your consent first to do the surgery." Dr. Monroe explains. This whole situation has my heart beating three times its normal rate. I nod and, once Dr. Monroe has handed me a pen and the consent form, I sign.

"Would you like to be present for the surgery?" Dr. Monroe asks me.

"Please," I reply. I can't stand the thought of something going wrong and Katniss dying all alone in the operating room. No, she deserves to have someone there who loves her.

"Alright, well, I need you to change into some scrubs and then a nurse will bring you into the operating room." Dr. Monroe says.

Ten minutes later, I am standing in the operating room as they wheel Katniss in. Once she is wheeled closer to me, I can see that she is actually conscious.

"Peeta," She chokes out, reaching her hand out to me.

"Hey, sweetheart," I reply, taking her hand in mine. "You're going to be okay." I tell her.

"I'm scared," She tells me, tears welling up in her beautiful, eyes.

"I know, sweetheart." I reply. "But the doctors are going to take good care of you." That is all the time we have for conversation, because it is time for the surgery to begin.

I sit down next to Katniss and hold her hand. I can't imagine how afraid she must be; for both herself and the babies. They babies are barely seven months along, which is too early for them to be out in the world. Their lungs may not be fully developed and they will be very, very small.

The sudden, rapid beeping sound coming for Katniss' and the babies' heart monitors pulls me from my thoughts. Katniss' and the babies' heart rates are dropping dangerously.

"Nurse, could you please hang another bag of O-negative. She's losing a lot of blood." Dr. Monroe says, a lot more calmly than I would have been able to.

"Alright, Peeta, it's time to meet your newest baby girl." Dr. Monroe says as she holds a very tiny, squirming, pink baby girl up for me to see. I can no longer choke back my tears, tears of joy. I have another daughter! The nurses take her to the side to clean her off and check her over. Ten minutes later, I hear the cry of my next child.

"It's a boy, Peeta. Congratulations," Dr. Monroe tells me. More tears of happiness stain my cheeks. Another son! This is definitely better than I could have ever imagined. I now have two sons and two daughters. The nurses take him off to the side to clean him off and check him over.

The shrill, long beep of Katniss' heart monitor pulls my mind away from the happiness of having two new babies to the fact that something is very, very wrong. Katniss is unconscious and her heart monitor is a straight, horizontal line.

"Mr. Mellark, we need you to leave now, please." Dr. Monroe tells me. "Your wife's heart has stopped beating."

* * *

><p><strong>*GASP* What will happen next? Well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see . . . Sorry bout the cliffhanger, but it keeps things interesting! Please review! Thank you all for reading! :)<strong>


	53. Chapter 53

**Hey, Everyone! I'm sure none of you are reading this a/n because you're so anxious to see what happens! But, I need you to know that I do not own THG! Now, you may read on!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifty-Three<span>

Peeta's POV

My mind is in a complete haze as one of the nurses escorts me back into the waiting room. Katniss' heart stopped beating. I've lost her. It's over.

"Hey, kid," I hear Haymitch's voice say. I feel his hand on my shoulder. "What happened?" Just thinking about how I would answer his question brings me to tears. My legs give out beneath me and I land on the floor, curled in the fetal position. Sobs wrack through my body. I feel Haymitch kneel down beside me. He helps me sit up against the wall.

"Her heart stopped," I choke out through my sobs. I watch as the shock on Haymitch's face turns into sadness. I can tell he is holding back tears that have sprung to his eyes. It feels like an eternity that we sit together on the floor. Eventually, Dr. Monroe comes out of the operating room. She comes over and pulls a chair over to where Haymitch and I are sitting on the floor.

"First of all, I want to let you know that we got her heart beating again. We had to shock her, but we got it beating again." Dr. Monroe says and I can feel tears of relief flood down my cheeks. Her heart is still beating. She is still alive.

"But, I do have some bad news." Dr. Monroe tells me. I nod for her to continue and she does: "Once we got Katniss' heart beating again, we needed to stop her blood loss. Her uterus was bleeding too much and, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop the bleeding. It was coming to the point where her heart wasn't going to be able to stand the blood loss. I had to make a decision. Peeta, I had to make the decision to remove your wife's uterus. I needed to do a full hysterectomy to stop the bleeding." I am shocked at first. This meant that Katniss and I could not have any more children. But this also meant that Katniss was still alive and, for that, I would be eternally grateful to Dr. Monroe.

"Thank you," I tell her, my voice hoarse from my sobbing, "for saving her life."

"You're welcome," Dr. Monroe replies. "Now, Katniss is still unconscious and, most likely, will be for the next day or so. Feel free to go and sit with her or you can go see your new babies at the nursery." I nod in response and then Dr. Monroe exits the waiting room.

"Where are Phoenix and Ivy?" I ask Haymitch as I start to stand up, using the wall for support because I am not sure if my legs will hold me up or not.

"They're in the family room with Effie," He tells me.

"Okay, um, why don't you and Effie take them to your place? I don't really want them here while Katniss is unconscious." I request.

"Of course," Haymitch replies. "If you need anything, call us." I nod in response. I watch Haymitch exit the waiting room. I need to contact Mrs. Everdeen and tell her what has happened; Johanna, too.

I make my way to the hallway outside the waiting room. I remember seeing a phone there earlier amongst all the chaos. I take the receiver and dial Mrs. Everdeen's number. It's early in the afternoon so I hope that she is home.

"Hello?" Mrs. Everdeen answers the phone.

"Hi, Mrs. Everdeen, it's Peeta." I say, trying to keep my voice from cracking.

"Oh, hello dear," She replies. "To what do I owe this out of the blue phone call?" She asks and I have to choke back tears at the thought of everything that just happened.

"Ah . . . um . . . Katniss . . . well . . . something bad happened." I stammer.

"Oh!" Mrs. Everdeen gasps. "What's happened?"

"Well, um . . . Katniss had a . . . ah . . . placental abruption . . . and she . . . she needed a . . . ah C-section to get the babies out. And, then, ah . . . once the babies were out . . . her . . . her heart stopped." Mrs. Everdeen gasps loudly, no doubt on the verge of tears. "But . . . the doctor got her heart going again. But . . . then the doctor had to do a hysterectomy to . . . ah . . . stop the bleeding." I stammer.

"Oh, dear," Mrs. Everdeen exclaims. "How are you holding up?"

"It's been hard, but I'm just happy that Katniss and the babies are okay."

"The babies must be pretty small; they're a couple of months early." Mrs. Everdeen says.

"Yeah," I reply. "I haven't really had a chance to get a good look at them, but they did look pretty small. Oh, guess what!" I say.

"What?" She replies.

"We got another girl and another boy," I tell her, a smile spreading across my face as I think of my two new babies.

"Oh! That's just wonderful news!" Mrs. Everdeen replies.

"Yeah, um . . . I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'll keep you updated." I tell her. We say our goodbyes and then I call Johanna. The conversation with Johanna goes about the same as the conversation I had with Mrs. Everdeen.

Once I have hung up with Johanna, I make my way to Katniss' hospital room. The curtains are pulled in the room so it is a bit dark inside. Katniss is lying in a hospital bed, tubes and monitors all around her. I pull a chair close to the bed and sit down. I take Katniss' hand in mine and kiss it lightly.

"I love you so, so, so, so, so much." I whisper to her as I lay my head on the bed. "I'm sorry."

I must have fallen asleep because, next thing I know, Haymitch is lightly shaking me awake.

"How is she doing?" He asks as he takes a seat on the empty bed next to Katniss'.

"She hasn't woken up yet. The doctor said it can take a while for her to wake up since her body is recovering from everything that happened yesterday." I reply.

"Have you gone to see the twins yet?" He asks. I shake my head in response. "You can go if you want. I can look after Katniss for a little bit." Haymitch offers.

"I don't want to leave her while she's unconscious. I want to be here for her when she wakes up." I tell him and he nods in understanding. We sit in silence for a long while before Haymitch excuses himself. I lie my head back down on the bed, my hand intertwined with Katniss'.

I must have fallen asleep again, because I am woken up by someone running their fingers through my hair and whispering my name.

"Peeta," Wait a minute! I know that voice. Instantly, my head shoots up and I am met with Katniss' beautiful grey eyes staring back at me. There are no words to describe the relief that I feel. Tears spring to my eyes as I cup Katniss' face in my hand.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see your beautiful grey eyes," I tell her.

"Peeta, what happened?" Katniss asks me and some of my happiness fades. How am I supposed to explain to her that the doctor had to do a hysterectomy?

"Well, you gave birth to another beautiful baby girl and another handsome baby boy." I tell her, avoiding telling her everything that really happened.

"I did?" She asks in shock and I nod. "Peeta, why are your eyes sad?" She asks. I sigh inwardly. Now I have to tell her. She does deserve to know.

"Well, sweetheart, I found you upstairs, unconscious and bleeding. Then Haymitch called 911 and the paramedics brought you here. Dr. Monroe had to do a C-section. Once the babies were out, your heart stopped and that when they made me leave the operating room. Dr. Monroe cameo out into the living room and told me what happened. Katniss, she had to do a full hysterectomy to stop your bleeding." I tell her, holding onto her hand tightly.

"That means we can't have any more babies," Katniss says, tears springing to her eyes.

"Hey, it's okay. We have four beautiful children." I tell her.

"Is that going to be enough?" She asks me, her grey eyes pleading to me for an answer.

"It's more than enough for me," I tell her.

* * *

><p><strong>Did you guys really think I was going to kill of Katniss? I am not that cruel and heartless! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. The next chapter will contain the new babies! :) Get ready for some serious cuteness! Also, Please review! :)<strong>


	54. Chapter 54

**Hey, Eve****rybody! Here's the next chapter! I really hope you like it! Disclaimer: THG is not mine, I just like to play with it :)**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifty-Four<span>

Katniss' POV

Peeta and I waited anxiously in the hospital room for the nurse to bring our new babies in. I have to admit that I laughed out loud once it really hit me that I had another son and another daughter. Peeta and I had spent some time late last night discussing names, but we were still unsure of what we were going to name them.

"We're here," One of the nurses said as she entered the hospital room, pushing a hospital crib containing one of my two new children. The nurses left as soon as Peeta and I were settled with our babies.

"We have to name them," Peeta says softly as he holds his newest daughter.

"Have you thought of any names?" I ask him as I rock my newest son.

"Well, I had a thought after you went to bed last night." He replies.

"What was your thought?"

"Well, since they're going to be our last children," He says and I inwardly wince, "I thought we could name them after people that were/are important to us." I am slightly shocked that I like his idea.

"Did you have any specific names in mind?" I ask him.

"Well, I thought we could use your mom's and Effie middle names for our new baby girl," He suggests.

"My mom's middle name is Lilac. Do you know Effie's middle name?" I reply.

"It's Violet," He answers.

"Lilac Violet Mellark," I test the name out. "I like it." I say and Peeta nods in agreement.

"Now our little guy here needs a name, too." Peeta says as he trails his fingers across the top of our new son's head. They are both incredibly tiny because they are premature. Lilac is just three pounds and four ounces. Her eyes are grey and she has little wisps of blonde hair on the top of her head. The boy was slightly bigger, weighing 3 pounds and ten ounces. His eyes are blue and his head is still bald, but I am hoping that he will have blonde hair. That would make him look like a mini-Peeta.

"Finnick," I whisper before I can register it.

"You want to name him 'Finnick'?" Peeta asks, unsure of what I meant by my whisper.

"It's a good, strong name that belonged to someone who saved both our lives, on more than one occasion." I tell him, looking into his soulful, blue eyes.

"If that's what you want to name him, I'm okay with it." Peeta assures me and I nod.

"Can his middle name be 'Nicholas'?" I ask Peeta. "It was father's name."

"Of course that can be his middle name." Peeta replies.

"Finnick Nicholas Mellark," I say with a smile. "Finn for short," I say, looking at Peeta to make sure that's okay.

"I like it," He tells me and we smile at each other.

_*Two Days Later*_

The babies and I can finally leave the hospital. Dr. Monroe wanted to keep us at the hospital for a few days to make sure everything was okay before we were discharged. Even though Lilac and Finnick are small, there is nothing else wrong with them. We are very lucky because, since they were two months premature, there could have been very serious problems such as underdeveloped lungs.

I smile as we pull into our driveway to find Haymitch and Effie standing on our front porch, holding Phoenix and Ivy, waving at us with big smiles.

"Is it weird that I actually missed those two?" I ask Peeta rhetorically as he puts the car in park. We get out and then remove Lilac and Finnick from their car seats before heading inside. It is time for Ivy and Phoenix to meet their little siblings.

"I do believe it is time for the introductions," I say as everyone takes a seat in the living room.

"Alright, well, this here is Lilac Violet Mellark," I say as I adjust Lilac so she is facing her adoptive grandparents. I can tell that Effie is very flattered that we chose to use her middle name in our daughter's name.

"And this, this is Finnick Nicholas Mellark," Peeta says as he adjusts baby Finnick in his arms. I watch as a small smile plays on Haymitch's lips. He knows the stories behind both names.

"Phoenix, Ivy, will you both come over here please?" I ask, holding my hand out in a gesture for them to come over to me. The walk over to me, Ivy full of excitement, Phoenix a bit cautious. I have them sit in-between Peeta and I as I get ready to formally introduce them to their new siblings.

"Phoenix, Ivy, this is your baby sister, Lilac." I say as I hold Lilac in my arms in such a way that they can both get a good look at her.

"And this is your baby brother, Finn." Peeta says, holding Finnick up in the same manner and me.

"Now that the babies are here, mommy and daddy are going to need your help taking care of them." I say to Phoenix and Ivy. "You'll have to help mommy and daddy clean up the house and feed and change the babies. You guys are big siblings now and we need you to act like that. Do you think you can do that?" They both nod in response. Honestly, they kind of look excited to start helping out around the house and being big siblings.

"We actually have presents for all four of your little tikes." Haymitch says, holding a bag out to Peeta.

Inside the bag, there are four T-shirts. One is red with yellow lettering and says "Big Brother". The next is light green with dark green lettering and says "Big Sister". The next one is purple with pink lettering and reads "Little Sister". And the last one is blue with white lettering and reads "Little Brother".

"They're so cute! Thank you so much!" I tell Haymitch and Effie as I put the shirts back into the bag.

"Oh, we just wanted to do something special for you and the new babies!" Effie replies.

"Would you guys like to hold them?" I ask Haymitch and Effie.

"Oh, we'd love to." Effie answers for both of them. Peeta and I both get up and hand over the babies to Haymitch and Effie.

"I can already tell that this one is going to be a heartbreaker, true to his name." Haymitch says as he observes Finnick.

"And this beautiful little girl is going to have all the boys chasing her." Effie says as she cradles Lilac. "You have very, very beautiful children." Effie tells Peeta and me.

After a few hours of visiting, Haymitch and Effie excuse themselves for the night. While I am feeding Lilac and Finnick, Peeta puts Phoenix and Ivy to bed for the night. Once the babies are fed, I burp and change them and then Peeta and I bring them up to our room. It is just more convenient for the first few weeks to have the babies in our room. We lay them down on their backs and I sing to them softly. In no time, they are fast asleep but I know it won't last for long. The first night at home is always the hardest.

"We are in for one long night," I tell Peeta as we sit together on the edge of our bed, quietly observing our latest miracles.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope it was cute enough for you all! Of course they'll be more cuteness to come! How do you think Katniss and Peeta will be able to handle four children, all under the age of three? They're be more to come very soon! Please leave a review on your way out! Thank you all!<strong>


	55. Chapter 55

**Hey, Everyone! One last chapter for today! I'll probably only update once tomorrow since its the fourth of July and there's a cookout happening at my house. Anyhow! Enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not own THG!  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifty-Five<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Two Weeks Later*_

"C'mon Finn, you need to stop crying so mommy can get some sleep," I plead with my youngest son. He just wails even louder in response.

"Peeta, what's wrong?" I hear Katniss' tired voice ask me.

"He won't stop crying and I don't know why. He isn't dirty and he shouldn't be hungry." I tell my wife.

"Here, give him to me." Katniss says, holding her arms out. As soon as baby Finn is in his mother's arms, his cries instantly cease.

"How do you do that? I mean, they just instantly stop crying when you hold them!" I say in astonishment.

"I'm their mother and they know that. I guess they just feel safe with me." Katniss replies, as she gently rocks Finn back to sleep.

"Hey, you know who we haven't seen in a very long time?" I ask Katniss.

"Who haven't we seen in a very long time?" Katniss inquires, looking up from our youngest son.

"Annie Cresta," I tell her. It has been a very long time since we have seen Annie. When Katniss and I had taken our little vacation there almost two years ago, Annie and her son, Joshua, had been out of town.

"That is true," Katniss replies. "Maybe our next family vacation can be to District 4. It is a very pretty district. Not to mention the weather is always perfect there."

"I think a vacation to District 4 would be great for our first vacation as a complete family." I say and Katniss agrees.

_*Two Weeks Later*_

"Oh, Peeta, it is nice to see you again." Mrs. Everdeen says as she pulls me in for a hug.

"It's nice to see you, too, Mrs. Everdeen." I reply.

"Peeta, I've told you way too many times to call me Sarah!" Mrs. Everdeen scolds me.

"Sorry, Sarah," I tell her. She just smiles at me as we start our walk back to mine and Katniss' house in Victor's Village.

"Oh, I just can't wait to meet the two new little ones!" Sarah exclaims as we start walking up the driveway.

"And they can't wait to meet their grandma Everdeen." I tell Sarah as we enter the house through the back door.

"Grandma," Ivy exclaims as she comes running into the kitchen.

"My little monkey," Sarah greets Ivy with the nickname she gave her when she started climbing around on everything. Ivy runs to her grandmother and Sarah scoops her up. "You're such a big girl now! I can't believe how big you've gotten since I saw you last."

"Imma big sister," Ivy exclaims proudly.

"I know! Grandma is very excited to meet your new baby sister and baby brother." Sarah tells Ivy. I watch as Ivy extends her hand to her grandmother and then proudly leads her into the living room, where Katniss and the babies spend most of their time.

"Mom, it's great to see you!" Katniss exclaims. If she didn't have two infants in her arms and a toddler by her side, she would have been tightly hugging her mother. She's really wanted to see her mom ever since she left the hospital.

"Oh, it's great to see you, too." Sarah tells Katniss as she bends down to give her a sort of hug. "Oh, I've just been so anxious to meet my new grandbabies."

"Well, this little girl here is Lilac Violet Mellark," Katniss tells her mother. I watch as tears spring to Sarah's eyes; she is no doubt incredibly moved by the fact that we named our youngest daughter after her.

"And, this little guy here, well, his name in Finnick Nicholas Mellark," Katniss says. Now, the tears in Mrs. Everdeen's eyes flow down her cheeks. I am sure she is thinking of her late husband and how honored he would have been to have his daughter's youngest son named after him.

"They are just the most adorable things I've ever seen. I have to say, I must have the cutest grandchildren in all of Panem." Sarah boasts as she takes Lilac from Katniss.

Haymitch and Effie came over around noon and we all spent the rest of the day in the living room. Ivy and Phoenix took the time to show their Grandma Everdeen how great helpers they were when it came to the new babies. Sarah seemed to always have one of her grandchildren in her lap. I have to admit that it was great to see how much love all the kids were receiving. Katniss and I were both greatly relieved when Phoenix and Ivy hadn't developed any jealousy of the new babies.

The day went by incredibly fast and, before I knew it, it was time to put Phoenix and Ivy to bed. Katniss left Lilac and Finn with their grandparents and went to tuck Ivy and Phoenix into bed.

In the last few months, Phoenix and Ivy had gone through a couple big milestones. The biggest one was probably potty training them. It had taken a lot of patients and we went through a lot of accidents before the success started. Now, they were able to make it to the potty 90% of the time.

The second milestone was moving them out of cribs and into toddler beds. They were both so ecstatic about sleeping in "big kid" beds. It was actually kind of funny. Katniss and I split up to read Phoenix and Ivy their bedtime story.

"Alright, baby girl, what do you want daddy to read you tonight?" I asked my eldest daughter as I helped her get changed into her pajamas and into bed.

"Monkeys," She exclaims cheerfully. I swear she was never going to get sick of _Eight Silly Monkeys._ I smile as I read her to oh-so familiar story. By the end, her eyelids are drooping.

"I love you, baby girl." I tell her as I kiss her goodnight.

"Love you, too, daddy." She tells me and I just feel my heart melt. I wouldn't give up being a daddy for anything in the world.

* * *

><p><strong>That last part totally had me going "Awwwwwwwwwww". I just love Peeta as a daddy :) Hopefully they'll be more PeetaPhoenix/Ivy and Peeta/Lilac/Finnick cuteness to come! Oh! Just think about when Peeta's baby girls are teenagers! Now THAT would be interesting to see :) Okay, Im done rambling now. Please leave a review on your way out! They make my day!**

**P.S. I love all my readers! I love reading your reviews! I love it when you guys give me your feedback!  
><strong>


	56. Chapter 56

**Hey, Everyone! First off, I would like to thank all my reviewers for their incredibly kind words! Honestly, this story would have never gotten this far if it wasn't for you! Thank you all so much! Well, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! Disclaimer: THG is not mine :(  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifty-Six<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Two Months and Three Weeks Later*_

My house has turned into a circus tent. There are twelve people currently inhabiting my house. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my family more than anything else in the world. It's just that having everyone in one space for an extended period of time gets on my nerves a little. Especially, since they've all been here since Thanksgiving, and today is Christmas Eve.

"Alright everyone, it's time for dinner." Peeta calls to us all from the kitchen and we all move into the dining room. It's a really good thing our dining room is pretty huge. The dinner that Peeta has prepared is, as usual, completely fabulous. Oven baked ham with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and freshly baked dinner rolls. Its times like these where I love being married to man that can cook.

We all eat Peeta's amazing dinner with some light chatter filtering in the room. My mom and Effie took the liberty to each take one of the older twins for Peeta and me; Effie with Phoenix and my mom with Ivy.

Honestly, I don't think I could have imagined how hard life would be with four kids under the age of three; having two newborns in hard enough without even considering our two two-year olds. Every night I am up at least four times and then Phoenix and Ivy wake me up at six in the morning. I am definitely not used to this lack of sleep. But, honestly, I wouldn't trade what I have for anything in the world.

I can tell that Lilac and Finnick are already starting to show us their personalities. Right off the bat, it was obvious that Finn preferred me over Peeta. Peeta could do just about anything while he's trying to get Finn to stop crying, to no avail. But, as soon as Peeta hands him to me, his cries cease instantly. I'm pretty sure I have a momma's boy on my hands; which I don't mind at all.

With Lilac, it was becoming very evident that she enjoyed music. Whenever I sing to her, she has this adorable little smile on her face and she listens so intently. It's come to the point where I have to sing to her almost every time I am putting her down to sleep.

These two are quite opposites from each other, just like Phoenix and Ivy. Finnick is definitely going to end up being a morning person, while I am certain that, when she is a teenager, I am going to have to drag Lilac out of bed in the morning. Between both of them, and Phoenix and Ivy, I'm lucky if I get four hours of sleep a night.

But, Peeta has been really great through it all. Honestly, if I wasn't breastfeeding, Peeta would love to get up with them four times a night to feed them for me. I have no idea how I ended up with a man as wonderful as him. If there is anyone that deserves the Husband of the Year and Father of the Year awards, it's Peeta Mellark.

After dinner, it is time to put all the kids to sleep. Peeta tucks Phoenix and Ivy into bed while Johanna and I take care of our infants. I change Finn and Lilac into clean diapers before I lay them in their crib. I sing them a soft lullaby and they are both fast asleep before I have even finished. A few hours later and all the adults are as tired as the babies. I swear we are all getting old.

The two bodies jumping up and down on my bed wakes me from my sleep. My eyes flutter open and I smile when I see my two oldest children jumping up and down on the bed, huge smiles plastered on their faces. They know what today is. Peeta told me that it took him ten minutes to convince them that they had to go to sleep before they could get their presents.

I follow after them as they scurry quickly downstairs. Effie and Haymitch already have Lilac and Finn in their arms. I chuckle as I hear just a snippet of the conversation they are having with Johanna.

"I'm telling you, Ash and Lilac are going to end up married." Johanna tells Effie and Haymitch. Oh, Johanna! How I love her and her crazy antics!

Just after Peeta and I have given Phoenix and Ivy the "okay" to start opening their presents, there is a knock at our door. I go to answer it, knowing Peeta will want to get pictures of the present opening on his camera.

"Gale!" I say in shock as I see who is behind the door.

"Hey, Catnip," He replies. "I hope it is okay that I'm just stopping by."

"Oh, it's fine!" I tell him. "We just started opening presents." I lead him into the living room and everyone greets "Senator Hawthorne" warmly. And, the present opening continues.

It takes us until noon to go through all the presents. My children, as I expected, get WAY too many presents. I guess with three grandparents that are completely head over heels for them, they're going to end up very, very spoiled.

Gale, of course, came bearing very generous gifts. He said he wanted to spend his money on the people he loved. That had made me feel a little guilty for being so harsh with him those few years ago. I guess he really didn't deserve to be treated the way I did treat him. I was glad that we were patching our friendship up. Plus, Phoenix and Ivy really seemed to like having "Uncle Gale" around. And who was I to deny my children their happiness? I guess Gale would just have to come around to District 12 more often.

The rest of the holiday season goes on uneventful. Gale had to leave the day after Christmas to go back to the Capitol to deal with some pressing issues. Of course, when I asked him about these "issues", he told me he couldn't tell me anything. It was against the law or something weird like that.

New Year's Eve was slightly boring since we couldn't do anything with two toddlers and three infants. Honestly, all we did was watch Phoenix, Ivy, Lilac, Finn, and Ash play together. It also kind of sucked because we couldn't drink. Well, we could have, but ever since Haymitch went sober, we've all been trying hard to be skimpy with our alcohol consumption. Johanna and I also couldn't drink because we were still breastfeeding.

It was nice to just spend time with family. Johanna and I must have talked for hours about how great it would be if Ash and Lilac ended up together. Peeta, of course, was absolutely livid about his "baby girl" ever dating anyone. Apparently, neither Ivy nor Lilac would be dating until they were thirty, and Peeta would be choosing whom they would be dating. I think we all got a really good chuckle out of that one.

I couldn't help but think about how all the people that I now considered "family" had helped me out over the years. My mom, of course, was the one that had quite a big impact. I mean, she did give birth to me and all. Johanna had turned from my enemy to one of my best friends, possibly even my sister. She was always there to help me toughen up when I need it the most. Nash, who I have known the least out of everyone, has been great in just the fact that he makes Johanna so very happy. I never imagined I would ever see Johanna as happy as she is now and I thank the universe every day that they are together.

Effie, who, to this very day, still manages to get on my nerves with her nagging when it comes to keeping on schedule and manners, has turned into someone that I couldn't picture my life without. She's been great in keeping Haymitch on track with his sobriety. She's also been absolutely wonderful with Phoenix, Ivy, Lilac, and Finn. Haymitch, who has definitely filled in the empty father-figure position in my life, has been greater than I could have ever imagined. From getting sober, to the way he interacts with all my children, he's always outdoing himself every day.

And then there is Peeta and my four beautiful children. I don't even want to imagine my life without them. Every day is a new, crazy adventure with my little family and I wouldn't want it any other way. Peeta is the greatest father I could have hoped for my children. The way he interacts with them and the way they interact with each other, well, it just blows my mind every day. No, there is definitely nothing I would change in my life.

* * *

><p><strong>I just kind of added that litte rant at the end because I needed to make this chapter a bit longer so I hope it was okay. Things are going to be fast forwarding a lot now since I would like to finish this story in the next two weeks or so. I'll just be highlighting the big things like birthdays, vacations, familial visits, governmental drama, etc. Thanks for reading and please leave me a review on your way out!<br>**


	57. Chapter 57

**Hey, Everyone! I hope this next chapter will be to your likings! Read on! Disclaimer: THG is not mine :(**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifty-Seven<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Five Months Later*_

"Peeta, are you sure you packed everything?" Katniss asks me for the thousandth time.

"Yes, dear," I reply, trying not to show my annoyance. I know Katniss is just trying to thorough, but it really is annoying sometimes. Katniss and I settle all the kids into the car before hopping in the front seats and taking off for District 4.

Katniss and I have been excited for this trip for a long time. This time, we made sure to call Annie and make sure that she was going to be in town when we planned on coming to visit. Annie had sounded very excited to hear that we would be paying her a visit. It was long overdue, after all.

Finally, after an eight hour drive, I finally pull the car into Annie Cresta's drive way. Just as I turn the car off, Annie comes rushing out of the house, followed by a young man with bronze hair and dark green eyes.

"Katniss, Peeta, It's great to see you both!" Annie exclaims as she pulls Katniss and I into a group hug.

"It's great to see you, too." I tell her, as I hug her back. Katniss hugs Annie once more, the two conversing quietly for a moment.

"Oh, Katniss, Peeta, this is my son, Kyle." Annie introduces us to her son.

"It's nice to meet you," Kyle tells us as we shake hands.

"It's nice to meet you, too." I tell him with a smile.

"Now, it's time for you to meet our children." Katniss tells Annie. The two women go to the car and release the kids from their car seats. I chuckle as I watch Katniss and Annie gush over the toddlers and infants.

Out of the corner of my eye, I study young Kyle. He reminds me so much of his late father, with his muscular build and bronze hair. I have no idea how Annie can look at him every day and not be overcome by sadness at the loss of her one true love.

We all move into the house and, once Katniss and I have put our children down for their afternoon naps, Annie, Katniss, and I move onto the beach right behind Annie's house.

"How have you been?" Katniss asks Annie.

"It's been tough, but I've managed. Kyle brings so much joy to my life. He is so much like his father." Annie replies softly. "I swear he spends 90% of his time in the water. He was on his school's swim team, won gold medals every year."

"He seems like a great kid," I comment. In the living room of the house, I had seen several pictures of Kyle holding gold medals and other certificates from various activities.

"He is the greatest." Anne says. "He's so laid back and he definitely has his father's sense of humor. Finnick would be proud of him." Annie tells us, a touch of sadness in her voice. Katniss reaches out and places her hand on top of Annie's. I silently nod, in both agreement and support. It must be tough for her to go through the days without her true love, even after all these years. I don't think I could live without Katniss by my side.

A few hours later, Phoenix, Ivy, Lilac, and Finn are all awake and we are all heading towards the water. Honestly, I was not in favor of taking the kids to the beach since none of them no how to swim, but Katniss talked me into it. Now, watching Phoenix and Ivy play in the water and hearing their happy squeals, I'm glad I let Katniss talk me into this.

Baby Finnick, seems to really be enjoying the water himself. I watch as Kyle sits with Finn in the water, baby Finn splashing the water around them. The more I think about, the more I realize that Katniss and I made the right decision when we named our youngest son.

Lilac, on the other hand, does not seem to be enjoying the water. She is sitting in the sand, watching Phoenix and Annie construct a sand castle. Ivy is with her mother, splashing and giggling in the water, happier than ever. I cannot suppress the smile that graces my lips as I watch my family enjoy their first beach experience.

Around five o'clock in the evening, we all head back into the house. Annie and Katniss give the kids bathes while Kyle and I prepare dinner. Katniss said that she couldn't visit District 12 without having one of their delicious lobsters. So, that was what we were having for dinner tonight.

I listen as Kyle tells me the story of how he caught these lobsters early this morning while he was out doing his morning routine. Apparently, his morning routine consists of: a five mile run on the beach, a five mile swim in the ocean, and then checking all his traps for any oceanic game that he sells to the local fishery market. The more time I spend with this kid, the more I see Finnick in him.

After dinner, which was totally incredible, Katniss and I put the kids down for the night. They are all extremely exhausted after their full day excitement and new experiences. Around ten, Kyle excuses himself, telling us that he gets up pretty early to do his morning routine. That just leaves me, Katniss, Annie.

"So what have you both been up to over the years?" Annie asks us.

"Nothing all that exciting," Katniss tells her.

"Oh, I don't believe that! There has to be something! Life with four children cannot be dull." Annie replies.

"That's true, for sure." Katniss replies with a chuckle. "Well, Peeta reopened the bakery a while back. I still hunt in the woods, which is now legal."

"Johanna got married and had a baby," I add in.

"She did?" Annie asks in shock.

"Yeah," I reply. "Surprised us all,"

"Haymitch Abernathy and Effie Trinket got married," Katniss says, trying to hide her smirk.

"I don't believe that!" Annie exclaims. I guess I have to agree with her that I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't been at the wedding. Katniss shows Annie a picture of the two on their wedding day. Annie just shakes her head in disbelief.

"So much has happened! Your little family sure has expanded over the years." Annie says with a smile.

"Oh, you can say that again," Katniss replies with a chuckle. "And, you know, we have just enough room for a few more people." Katniss tells Annie, a small smile playing on her lips. Annie's eyes instantly tear up, obviously moved by the gesture Katniss is making.

"Oh, do you really mean that?" She asks, as if she thinks Katniss and I would think of her as anything less than family.

"Of course I do!" Katniss replies and then the two women embrace. I smile as Annie hugs me also. Family is one of those things that can never get too big.

* * *

><p><strong>I figured it was time to bring Annie into this. I hope this chapter was okay. More chapters will be coming soon since I would like to finish this story up quickly and move onto my sequel. Thanks for reading and please leave a review on your way out! :)<strong>


	58. Chapter 58

**Hey, Everybody! Next chapter! I'm really gonna start moving now! (I hope) I hope you enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not own THG!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifty-Eight<span>

Katniss' POV

_*One Week Later*_

"That was a fun trip," I tell Peeta as we turn onto our street.

"It was. We'll have to go again soon. It was nice to see Annie and meet Kyle." He replies.

"Kyle was so nice. And he reminds me so much of Finnick," I say, multiple images of my late friend, Finnick Odair, flashing through my mind.

"He's definitely Finnick's son, that's for sure." Peeta replies with a chuckle. I am about to say something else, when my line of thought is interrupted with the person that is sitting on the front steps of our house. It is none other than Gale Hawthorne. Now, I am not upset that Gale has randomly shown up at our house, like I would have been a few years ago, but seeing him out of the blue like this does shock me a bit.

"Gale, what are you doing here?" I ask him as soon as I am able to get out of the car.

"Oh, well, I wanted to see you guys." He replies. The tone of his voice leaves me suspicious that there is something else at hand here, but I let it go for now.

Peeta and I, with a little help from Gale, unload our SUV of kids and luggage. It is ridiculous how much stuff you have to pack to go on a week vacation with four kids. Once everything has been moved from the car to the house, I put Lilac and Finn down for their morning nap. Peeta takes Phoenix and Ivy into the backyard to play on their swing set, knowing I will want to converse with Gale privately.

"So, what's the real reason you're here?" I ask him once we are alone. He sighs before answering my question.

"Well, things are going to start changing in the districts." He begins. Already, I am afraid of what else he is going to tell me. "Desmond Remington managed to get the majority of the other representatives to believe that the districts are not producing as much as they could be. So, peacekeepers are going to be sent in to act as foremen. They're going to oversee all the work and make sure that each district is being as productive as it possibly can be."

"Does that mean more people are going to be sent into the mines?" I ask him, afraid that they'll send my husband in because they need more man power.

"Probably," He replies. "What I think they're going to do is have three, eight hour shifts a day. First shift will be from four in the morning until noon. Then second shift will be from noon to eight o'clock at night. And, then, third shift will be from eight at night to four in the morning."

"That's ridiculous!" I exclaim. "The more we mine, the closer we get to the end of our natural resources!"

"I know, Catnip. Trust me, I know." Gale tells me defensively.

"I told you guys that he was going to nothing but trouble!" I exclaim.

"I know, but there's nothing we can do. He's part of the government and, as long as he can keep 50% of the Council on his side, he'll be unstoppable." Gale tells me. I look into his eyes. He seems so tired, like he hasn't slept in days.

"We'll just have to get people off his side." I tell him.

"No," Gale says quickly. "Desmond is a very short-tempered, powerful man with a lot of connections. I'm not going to let you get involved. You have a family now that needs you. I'm not going to put you in danger."

"What could he possibly do?" I ask him challengingly. The look Gale gives me tells me all I need to know. I should not be messing with this guy.

"Is there anything I could possibly do that wouldn't put in all the danger you're talking about?" I ask. There has to be something I can do. I can't just sit around and watch everything I worked so hard for crumble to the ground.

"Just stay out of the way. I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's what I need you to do. I can't deal with this if I'm always worried about you getting in the middle and getting hurt. Your time will come and, until then, you're too important to too many people to end up getting hurt in the middle of all this. Do you understand?" Gale asks me. I nod silently. Everything he is saying makes sense.

"Are you gonna stay for a few days or do you have to be back in the Capitol?" I ask him as I get up from the kitchen table.

"I have to be back for a meeting tomorrow morning. I leave tonight from the train station." He tells me. I nod.

"Are you okay?" He asks me, looking at me such concerned eyes that I can't even find it in myself to lie to him.

"Not really," I reply. "I . . . I'm just worried that this is going to . . . to but my babies in danger." Tears form in my eyes as images of my babies, tortured and beaten, float through my mind. Instantly, I am wrapped in Gale's arms. He strokes my hair and tells me everything will be okay. I just wish I could believe him.

"Catnip, I promise you that I won't ever let anything bad happen to your kids. Trust me when I tell you that, if someone wants to get to them, they have at least four Hunger Games victors, an ex-Hunger Games escort, and a rebel turned 'congressmen' to go through." Gale tells me and I have to chuckle because he is absolutely right. There are so many people that care for my babies. I am thankful for that every single day.

"Thank you," I tell him as I wipe my tears from my cheeks.

"Don't worry about it," He tells me.

We spend the rest of the day in the backyard. Phoenix and Ivy run through the sprinkler and play on their swing set while Peeta, Gale, and I alternate between holding Lilac and Finn. I have to admit, it melts my heart to watch Gale interact with my children. I always knew he would make a great father. He just needed to find that special someone.

"I love you," Peeta tells me as we recline together against our house, watching Phoenix, Ivy, and Uncle Gale play a game of hide and seek.

"I love you, too." I reply, leaning up to kiss his cheek. And, for a moment, I forget about all the bad things in the world.

* * *

><p><strong>A little bit of government drama and KatnissGale bonding. What do you guys think of Uncle Gale? Do you guys think I should get him a girl or what? Let me know in your reviews! P.S. Thanks so much for reading!**


	59. Chapter 59

**Hey, Ev****erybody! Here's my next chapter! I hope you enjoy! Disclaimer: THG is not mine . . . but I do own the books. Thank you Suzanne Collins for writing such an amazing trilogy!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifty-Nine<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Three Months Later*_

I sigh as I finally finish cleaning the house. Today is Phoenix and Ivy's third birthday. I say this every year, but I really am amazed at how fast time has flown by since the birth of my eldest children. I feel like all I did was blink and my babies aren't quite babies any more.

Peeta has been at the bakery all morning, preparing Phoenix and Ivy's birthday cake. I, with Effie's help, have been cleaning the house and preparing it for our guests. Since last year, our guest list for birthday parties has increased: Haymitch, Effie, my mom, Johanna, Nash, Ash, Annie, Kyle, and Gale was all invited. And all of them, except for Gale, are going to be in our house in less than an hour. Gale had some governmental work to take care of in the Capitol.

Phoenix and Ivy are both very excited about today. And I was surprised when I learned that they weren't just excited to get presents. They were actually more excited to see all of their favorite family members. That had just made my heart melt when I had learned about it.

An hour later and Peeta's and my backyard was full of our family members. As soon as he arrived, Finn had automatically wanted to be with Kyle. Those two were definitely building a bond. Lilac and Ash had been inseparable since Johanna and Nash arrived. Of course Johanna couldn't let a moment go by without teasing Peeta about those two dating in the future.

Phoenix and Ivy just love all the attention they are receiving from their beloved family members. I smile as I watch Haymitch run around the yard, chasing Ivy as she giggles and squeals in joy. My mom pushes Phoenix on one of the swings. The swing set has become one of his most favorite places in the house.

Peeta breaks out the cake around noon and we all marvel at his always superb baking skills. Once enough cake has been eaten, we move onto presents. With the amount of people and how much they all love Phoenix and Ivy, Peeta and I both know that they will end up even more spoiled than we could have ever guessed.

Phoenix receives an art easel from Effie and Haymitch. Peeta and I have just recently noticed his love of art. He loves drawing us pictures to hang up on the refrigerator and would rather color than run around the house with his sister. He also receives a few play-dough sets and some LeapFrog reading systems.

Ivy gets some dress up stuff, which I know she'll only use a few times because she is not that big of a girly girl, play-dough sets, and a LeapFrog reading system. Some of the joint gifts that they received include a short basketball hoop and a few board games. All in all, Phoenix and Ivy are very happy.

"Mommy, do I hafta go to bed?" Ivy asks me for the third time since her bath.

"Yes, sweetheart," I tell her as I tuck her into bed.

"Can you read me anudder story?" She asks me. I smile in humor.

"Sweetie pie, I already read you two stories. Now, it is time for bed." I tell her as I kiss her goodnight. She looks sad, but kisses me back anyway.

"Good night, mommy," She tells me.

"Good night, baby girl," I reply before I turn her night light on, shut the big light off, and leave the bedroom.

"You got her to bed?" Peeta asks me as we meet in the hallway between Phoenix and Ivy's bedrooms.

"It took a little convincing, but I did get her to bed." I tell him.

"I still can't believe they're three years old already," Peeta says in shock as we reach the living room.

"Oh, don't remind me. I keep waiting for them to turn back into babies." I tell him.

"Hey, at least we still have Lilac and Finn. They're still babies." Peeta says, trying to make me feel better.

"But only for a little while," I retort.

"You know, pretty soon we're going to have to start looking into getting Phoenix and Ivy registered for next year's pre-school class." Peeta tells me. He is right. Next year, Phoenix and Ivy will be turning four and they'll be heading into pre-school. The shrill ring of the telephone cuts off the response I was getting ready to say. I get up and answer the phone, wondering who it could possibly be.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Katniss, thank god," I hear Gale's voice say. "I really need your help!"

"What's wrong?" I ask him, totally freaking out over the tone in his voice.

"It's kind of a long story . . ."

"Gale, just tell me." I urge him.

"Okay, well, last year there was this government party. Well, you know how boring those things can be. So, I was a little drunk and, well, I ended up having a one night stand." Gale tells me. Honestly, I don't even need him to finish the story to figure out why he's freaking out. "Katniss, I have a son."

"Wow," I say, shocked even though I figured out what he was going to tell me before even said it.

"Yeah, I know. I don't know what to do, Katniss." He tells me.

"Well, does she want you to be involved with the baby?" I ask him. If she doesn't want him involved, since they weren't married, he doesn't have many rights.

"Yeah, she said she wants me to get to know him. I mean, he's only a few months younger than Lilac and Finn." Gale replies.

"Well, you should get to know him. Spend some time with him whenever you can." I tell him.

"What if he grows up resenting me because I'm not with his mom?" Gale asks.

"Gale, you can't spend all your time worrying about that. When the time comes, you'll just have to explain things to him, but not until he's older." I reassure him.

"Thank, Catnip," Gale says. "I was just freaking out for a minute. I'm glad I called you. You always seem to know what to do."

"Don't worry about it, Gale. I'm always here to help." I tell him. We say our goodbyes and hang up.

"What's up with Gale?" Peeta asks me.

"Well, I guess he has a son." I tell him. I spend the next ten minutes explaining what Gale told me to Peeta.

"Huh, well, I guess our little family just keeps getting bigger and bigger." Peeta laughs. I laugh with him because I know it is true.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed it! Also, I have thought up ideas for both Gale and Haymitch &amp; Effie so things will get slightly more interesting as this story comes to its close. Don't be sad, because that only means things will be ten times better for my sequel! :) P.S. Thanks for reading and please leave a review on your way out! :D<strong>


	60. Chapter 60

**Hey, Everyone! ****Here's the next chapter! You'll get a little glimpse of Gale and his son, with more to come soon. Read on! Disclaimer: I do not own THG. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixty<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Two Months Later*_

I sigh as I finally finish frosting the last of the cupcakes for Lilac and Finn's first birthday party. We were basically doing the same thing we did for Phoenix and Ivy's first birthday, except the frosting this time around was blue and purple.

It has really been a crazy two months. In August, we had Phoenix and Ivy's third birthday. Then in September we had to travel to District 7 for Ash's first birthday party. And, now in October, we were celebrating Lilac and Finn's first birthday. I was starting to think that Johanna and Nash should just move to District 12 so we'd all be that much closer to each other.

Despite all the craziness of the passing few months, I've noticed that Katniss seems more stressed out than usual. We had had a long talk about the "cracking down" on the districts to produce more of their products. Maybe Katniss was right. Maybe this Desmond Remington fellow was bad news.

I could tell that Katniss wanted to go out and do something to "help", but she also told me that Gale wouldn't let her. For once, I totally agreed with Gale on something. There was no way I was going to let Katniss go out and get killed when we had four young children at home. Lord knows I wouldn't be able to handle all of them on my own.

Nevertheless, Katniss and I agreed not to think about any negative things today. Today is supposed to be a celebration for our youngest set of twins. While they still don't understand why everyone is so excited today, they have managed to pick up on the excitement and are both very excited themselves.

Katniss and I were both excited because Gale was bringing his newly discovered son, Liam, with him to Lilac and Finn's birthday party today. Over the last few months, Gale is always calling Katniss for baby advice. After a dozen of these phone calls, Katniss actually sent him our copy of _What to Expect: The First year._

Gale and Katniss had started talking a lot more, and I was grateful for this. It never sat well with me that their friendship had ended. They were too close for something like that to last forever. I could tell that Katniss was happier, too, which made me even happier than I already was.

"I'm home," I call once I have entered the house. Katniss and Effie have been preparing the house all day. "Where are the kids?" I ask Katniss as I place the boxes of cupcakes on the kitchen counter.

"Over at the Abernathy's with Haymitch. I needed to get them out of the house so that I could clean it." She tells me, taking a break from her cleaning to give me a quick peck on the lips.

"Should I go over there so I'm out of your way?" I ask her with a chuckle.

"Yes please," She replies and I have to laugh out loud at the seriousness in her voice. But, nevertheless, I exit our house and head over to the Abernathy dwelling.

Haymitch is in his backyard, lounging in a six foot wide, one foot deep kiddie pool. He has Lilac and Finn, who are wearing floaties on their arms, in his arms while he watches Phoenix and Ivy splash around.

"You do know that Katniss is going to be mad that you're letting them swim, right?" I ask him as I sit down next to the kiddie pool.

"She told me to keep them out of her house and busy. I'm doing both of those things." He replies, shifting Finn in his arms so the little boy can splash in the water. It really is crazy how much this kid likes the water.

"The party starts in an hour so we should get them dried off and changed back into their regular clothes before Katniss catches us and chews both our asses." I tell him. Haymitch nods in agreement and hands me Lilac and then Finn so that he can get out of the pool. We get some whines of protest from Phoenix and Ivy, but eventually everyone is dry and ready for the party to begin.

Less than an hour later, all of our guests have arrived. We decided, since the weather is so great, that we would be having this party mainly outside. Haymitch and I helped set up the picnic tables and Katniss and Effie filled them with the food that Effie had made. Effie really was an excellent cook and baker. I was glad to have her as an employee at the bakery.

Since Lilac and Finn were only a year old, most of the party consisted of adults mingling mixed in with a little bit of baby swapping between Johanna, Katniss, and Gale. Gale's son, Liam, had Gale's black hair and, I am assuming, his mother's blue eyes. It turned out to be a very nice combination. So nice that Johanna started teasing me that Lilac was going to have both Liam and Ash fighting over her during their adolescent years. Everyone but me seemed to find it funny. There was no way my baby girl was going to be dating anyone that I haven't chosen for her. And she wouldn't be dating until she was at least thirty, maybe even forty.

Gale had seemed to have adapted well to fatherhood. An outside observer would have no way of telling that Gale had only known his son for a few months. Gale was definitely a natural at parenting.

"Time for cupcakes," I exclaim as I open the boxes that the cupcakes are being contained in. Just like at every occasion, everyone "oohs" and "ahhs" over my handiwork. We all watch intently as Lilac and Finn make a mess of their cupcakes, covering their faces with cake and frosting and barely eating any of it. Effie makes sure to get a ton of picture of the occasion, telling Katniss and me that we can use them as blackmail in the future.

After cupcakes, we move onto presents. Despite Katniss and I telling everyone that Lilac and Finn didn't really need that much stuff because we still had Phoenix and Ivy's old toys and stuff, everyone still went slightly overboard in the present department. Clothes and toys were among the most abundant presents.

Around five o'clock that evening, our house is incredibly less crowded. Almost all of our guests had to leave the same day as the party because they had to work the next day. I guess Remington was really starting to get strict on districts making their quota. Gale is, surprisingly, one of the guests that could stay. Gale, Katniss, and I are all seated together on the couch in the living room, each with an infant, or two in my case, on their lap.

"Gale, I just love your little boy." Katniss tells him as she holds baby Liam in her arms. "He's so cute and well-behaved."

"He is a pretty great baby," Gale replies with a smile.

"So, do you think you and his mother are gonna . . ." Katniss trails off.

"No," Gale replies instantly. "I mean, it was just a drunken one night stand. We don't love each other and there's no point in being in a relationship with each other if we don't love each other."

"Makes sense," Katniss replies. "I'm glad she let you bring him here today. I was just dying to meet the little guy that has you calling me every other day." We all laugh because what Katniss has just said is basically true.

"You're the person with the most experience with babies that I know." Gale says. "It's the price of being such a great mom." I can see Katniss get just a bit choked at Gale's words. They are 100% true. I can't think of any other four kids that could possibly have a better mom than Katniss Mellark.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope that chapter was to your liking. I really had to sit down and force myself to write it. Sorry there wasn't a whole lot of Gale and his son, but more will come soon. I'm gonna try to get another chapter or so in for you guys today because starting tomorrow I wont be updating for a few days. But, I'll try to have a few chapters that I can upload right away when I get back. Thanks for reading and I appreciate reviews. <strong>


	61. Chapter 61

**Hey, Ever****ybody! Another chapter! :D I hope you enjoy it! Disclaimer: I do not own THG **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixty-One<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Four Months Later*_

I sigh as I finally get Lilac and Finn asleep for their afternoon nap; for some reason those two seem to enjoy making me work to get them to sleep. I wince as the shrill ring of the telephone fills the house and I run down the stairs and into the kitchen to answer it.

"Hello?" I answer, out of breath from my mad dash.

"Katniss, it is Gale." Gale's voice responds. Something in the tone of his voice sounds off.

"Gale, what's wrong?" I ask him, making my concern evident in my voice.

"Ahhh . . . um . . . Katniss . . . Liam's mom just . . . just died . . ." Gale chokes out. It sounds like he's holding back tears or at least trying to.

"Oh, Gale, I'm so sorry." I tell him,

"It's not like we were close, but she . . . she was his mother . . ." Gale says and I'm pretty certain he's crying now.

"I understand," I tell him.

"Katniss . . . I have no idea how I'm supposed to raise him on my own. I . . . I don't know how to raise a kid. I only had him every other weekend . . . I can't be a full time father . . ." Gale cries.

"Oh, Gale, you can do it. I know you can." I encourage him.

"Will you help me?" He asks me and, for a moment, I am taken aback.

"Of course," I tell him. "I'll do everything I can to help you out."

"Do you think you could come up here for a few days? Just until I figure out what I'm doing." Gale requests. For a moment, I am at a lost at how to answer him. I want to help him, yes, but I am uncertain of what Peeta will think about my sudden trip to see Gale.

"Could Peeta come with me? He's really a great father and he could give you some tips." I suggest.

"Of course he can come," Gale replies. "I'd love it if he would teach me a few things."

"Okay," I say. "We'll be on the next train out to the Capitol." I tell him before we hang up.

I call Haymitch over to watch the kids for a while and then head over to the bakery to find Peeta. I hope Peeta is okay with a very sudden, last minute trip. I've already talked to Haymitch and he has agreed to watch the kids for a day or two so that Peeta and I can go.

"Peeta, can we talk?" I ask him when I find him baking some rye bread in the kitchen of the bakery.

"Sure," He tells me as he slides the bread into the oven. "What's up?"

"Well, I just got a call from Gale and, well, Liam's mom died today." I tell him.

"Oh, god, how did she die?" He asks me.

"I don't know, but it must have been very sudden. Gale was a wreck on the phone." I reply.

"I bet. That's, like, a really big life changer. Now it's just him raising Liam." Peeta says.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. Um . . . Gale is at a total loss of what to do and he asked if we would come to the Capitol and help him out; just for a few days, until he gets the hang of things." I tell Peeta. "And, I told him we would come."

"Oh, well, when are we going?" Peeta asks, seemingly okay with this idea.

"Well, I told Gale we'd be on the next train to the Capitol." I reply tentatively.

"Then we should go get packing," Peeta says as he shuts the oven off and takes off his apron.

"You're okay with this?" I ask him, just trying to make sure.

"Of course," Peeta replies. "Gale is family, and he needs our help right now. I'm assuming that you already made arrangements with Haymitch and Effie to watch the kids." Wow, Peeta really is okay with this.

"Yeah, I did. Alright, well, let's go pack." I say and we walk back home together.

Haymitch's POV

"Mommy, do you hafta go?" Ivy asks Katniss just before she and Peeta are about to leave for the Capitol.

"Yes, we do. But, baby, you're going to have a lot of fun with Grandpa Haymitch and Grandma Effie." Katniss reassures the little girl.

"Will Grandpa Haymitch play dress up with me?" Ivy asks and I cough. Dress up?

"I'm sure he will, baby, if you ask him really nice," Katniss tells Ivy. "Mommy and daddy have to go now." Katniss gives all of the kids at least three more hugs and kisses before they go. Effie and I promise to take good care of them as we urge Katniss and Peeta to go.

"I do hope everything turns out for Gale. He is a good man." Effie says from her spot next to me on the couch.

"Everything will be fine," I reassure her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders.

"Grandpa Haymitch, will you play dress up with me?" Ivy asks. Oh, gee, she was serious?

"Grandpa doesn't play dress up, sweetheart. Why don't you ask Grandma? Grandma loves to play dress up." I tell her, trying not to sound too harsh.

"But I wanna play dress up with you," Ivy says, her grey eyes pleading with me. "Pretty, pretty please?" I sigh as I feel my resolve crumble.

"Alright, let's go." I tell her as I get up from the couch. She giggles in happiness and takes my hand to drag me upstairs. "You better make me look pretty." I tell her, a smile playing on my lips.

Thirty minutes later, Ivy hands me a mirror. Atop my head there is a rather large, white, floppy hat. Ivy has sort of braided my hair. My face is powdered and my lips are a shade of red similar to that of a fully ripened cherry. I am trapped in a purple dress that is rather tight over my other clothing. Under feet Ivy has placed a pair of Effie sparkly heels. Remind me to never let Effie lend Ivy any of her clothing and/or accessories.

"Wow, Haymitch, you look pretty!" Effie exclaims as she comes to check out Ivy's masterpiece. I can tell she is trying very hard to hold back her fits of laughter. I am never going to live this down.

"I'm all dressed up for you!" I reply in a fake, high pitched voice, batting my eyes at Effie. This breaks her barricade and she has to hold onto the wall as fits of laughter burst through her. Oh, the joys of grandchildren!

* * *

><p><strong>I just couldn't resist that last bit! Just the thought of Haymitch dressed up like that has me laughing ridiculously! I do love Haymitch. I hope I got some of you to "LOL", at least a little bit. Next up, Katniss and Peeta give Gale a crash course in parenting. Should be loads of fun! Thanks for reading and reviews are always appreciated! <strong>


	62. Chapter 62

**Hey, Everyone! Here's one more chapter for tonight (well, technically, it's morning)! Enjoy! Disclaimer: THG is not mine  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixty-Two<span>

Katniss' POV

"Thank you so much for coming," Gale says as he answers the door to his apartment in the Capitol.

"Don't worry about it. You're family. This is what family does for each other." Peeta tells him.

"I just can't even tell you how much this means to me. After . . . everything that's happened today, it's nice to know I still have family." Gale tells us. I smile at him and urge him let me see his son. Liam is as wonderful as ever. He probably doesn't even know that his mother is no longer with him.

"So, when would you like to start parenting 101?" I ask him as I cradle Liam in my arms.

"Whenever you want," Gale says eagerly. "I'm ready whenever you are."

"Well, let's start with putting Liam here to sleep. Show me what you would do." I tell Gale, handing him his son. The flustered look on Gale's face shows it all. He really has no idea what to do. I bite back my laughter as I take Liam from him.

"With my babies, our routine is feed, burp, change, and then bedtime. Once they've eaten, they're usually tired anyways." I tell Gale. Gale nods and heads to go warm up a bottle for Liam. After Gale has fed Liam, I show him several different ways to rock a baby to sleep. I have Gale try and, in less than ten minutes, Liam is sleeping soundly.

"Thank you so much," Gale whispers, not wanting to wake up his son.

"You're welcome," I reply softly as I watch the baby sleep. Oh, I already miss my babies!

The next day, I help Gale plan out a routine. You never end up sticking to it, but it's a nice thing to have. Next, we have some interviews with some nannies. With Gale's job, he won't be able to always be at home with Liam, so it was vital that we chose the right nanny for the job. We finally decide on a thirty year old woman named Janet who has three kids of her own. That way Liam has a nanny and a way to socialize.

After deciding on a nanny, Gale, Liam, Peeta, and I all head to the store. Gale is in dire need of more baby stuff around his house. We buy new toys, new clothes, new bottles, and so much more. By the time we get back to Gale's apartment, I think we're all ready for an afternoon nap.

Haymitch's POV

It is eight-thirty at night and Effie and I finally managed to get Ivy asleep. It took us three books, two songs, and thousands of hugs and kisses to finally get her to sleep. I don't know if it's because she misses her parents or if she's always like this.

"I love the little rascals, but it's nice to have some peace and quiet." I say as I pull Effie close to me.

"That's true," Effie says to me, moving her face closer to mine. Our lips are just about to touch when a high pitched wail interrupts the moments.

"Damn kids," I grumble and Effie swats me in scolding. We pull apart and head upstairs to investigate.

It is baby Finn that we find as the source of the cries. Effie picks him up from his crib and starts rocking him, but his cries continue. Effie hands him to me and I put hold him so he is against my chest with his head on my shoulder and I gently bounce him. His cries continue.

"Why do you suppose he's crying?" Effie asks me.

"I have no idea, Princess." I tell her, still bouncing the baby boy. Effie gestures for me to give him to her and I oblige. She sings to him softly as she rocks him. This seems to soothe him quickly and his cries cease. I watch as baby Finn stares up at Effie as she sings to him. Soon, his eyelids droop and he is back asleep.

"How did you do that?" I ask her in awe.

"I guess he likes to be sung to," Effie tells me quietly as she leads me out of the nursery.

Katniss' POV

"Are you sure you don't need us to stay longer?" I ask Gale as I finish packing up mine and Peeta's suitcase.

"No," He reassures me. "I think I have everything under control."

"You think?" I question him.

"Don't worry," He tells me with a smile. "You'll be the first person I call if I need anything."

"You promise?" I ask for more reassurance.

"I promise," He tells me, placing his hand over his heart.

"C'mon Katniss, we're gonna miss our train if we don't hurry up." Peeta urges me. I nod before I hug Gale and give baby Liam another goodbye kiss.

Eight hours later, the train finally pulls into the District 12 station. I am so ready to see my babies again. Peeta and I grab our luggage and then head home.

At home, toys are strewn across our backyard and Haymitch, Phoenix, and Ivy are using the swing set as their fortress. Apparently they are playing a game where Ivy is the princess and Haymitch and Phoenix are knights that have to protect her from evil, fire breathing dragons. Oh, Haymitch's imagination!

"Mommy," Phoenix and Ivy both exclaim at the same time before they quickly climb down from their "fortress" and run to me.

"Oh, my babies," I pull them both into my arms for a huge bear hug.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Peeta asks, feigning hurt feelings.

"No, you're daddy, silly!" Ivy tells him as she and her brother run to embrace him.

"I missed you guys," Peeta tells them as he hugs them.

"Did you guys have a fun time with grandpa and grandma?" I ask them as we all move into the house. Phoenix and Ivy both nod their heads.

"What'd you guys do?" I ask.

"Well, we watched a few movies and colored a few pictures," Effie says with a smile.

"Grandpa played dress up with me!" Ivy exclaimed proudly.

"Oh, he did!" I exclaim smiling at the thought of Haymitch all dressed up. "Please tell me someone got pictures of that,"

"I got plenty," Effie tells me and I laugh when Haymitch stares at us in disbelief. Oh yes, it was good to be home again.

* * *

><p><strong>Just a little bit of . . . fluff? I guess you could call it . . . I don't know. I really like exploring Haymitch and Effie's relationship with the Mellark kids. I promise they'll be more Gale and Liam in later chapters. The next few chapters are actually going to be quite . . . interesting . . . well, I hope you think they're interesting :) Thanks for reading and feel free to leave me a review :)<strong>


	63. Chapter 63

**Hey, Everyone! I am actually quite excited to see how you respond to this chapter. I am introducing a new character that I hope you all will love. Read on! Disclaimer: I do not own THG.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixty-Three<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Three Months Later*_

"Are you sure it's okay if I go home for lunch?" I ask Effie. We've been having a busy couple of weeks and a lot of orders have been coming in.

"I'm positive. Now go spend time with your family." Effie urges me with a sway of her hands. I thank her before exiting the bakery. It is a beautiful May afternoon. The sun is shining and the sky is home to some white, fluffy clouds.

I am barely halfway down the street when I feel the ground beneath me rumble. After a few seconds, the rumbling stops and I continue down the road once again. A few minutes later, the rumbling starts again. This time, it doesn't stop. Instead, it gets stronger and stronger until I am forced to stand against a building to keep from falling over. I look out to the edge of the district and watch in horror as a huge fiery explosion escapes from the ground, right where the mines are. Black smoke fills the air as several smaller explosions rack through the district, screams mixed into the string of chaos.

"Peeta, are you all right?" Effie asks as she runs out of the bakery in her red high heels and pink apron.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I tell her. "I'm gonna go see if I can help down there."

"Be careful," I hear Effie call after me as I take off for the edge of the district.

In less than five minutes of running, I am in the center of the chaos. There are other people like me that have come to help, but most of the people around me are victims of the explosion. For a moment, an image of Prim flashes through my mind and how eager she was to help the people in the midst of the bombing.

A few moments after my arrival, the fire department and the EMS arrive. The fire fighters rush to save the trees, fields, and houses that have caught fire during the explosions. The EMS, along with the help of civilians like myself, rush to treat those injured in the explosions. Half a dozen miners are rushed to the hospital, along with a dozen civilian victims. I and a few other civilians that helped out with the disaster are sent to the hospital to be looked over.

"Peeta," I hear Katniss call. I look over just as she rushes to my side. "What were you thinking?" she asks me, clearly more worried than angry at me.

"People needed my help," I tell her. We both drop the subject, not wanting to dredge up bad memories from the past.

"I didn't expect to see you two here," Dr. Monroe says as she walks over to where I am seated on a gurney.

"Didn't really expect to be here," I reply jokingly, trying to alleviate the tension in the ER.

"So what's the damage?" Katniss asks Dr. Monroe.

"Well, a good number of trees were burnt down. The field got some pretty bad damage to it, too. The fires on the houses were put out soon enough that the damage isn't nearly as bad as it could've been." Dr. Monroe answers.

"And the body count?" Katniss asks.

"We were lucky. Only six casualties," Dr. Monroe informs us, "Four miners and two civilians."

"It could have been a lot worse," I say quietly, grasping Katniss' hand in mine.

"You're right. I just feel bad for that kid," Dr. Monroe says, gesturing subtly to a boy around Phoenix and Ivy's age who is sitting a few gurneys down from us. "His name is Alexander Cole and both his parents were killed in the explosion. He's almost four years old."

"Does he have any other family?" Katniss asks concern very evident in her voice.

"Not that we know of," Dr. Monroe replies. "Right now we're just looking for some where for him to stay until we can find a place for him to stay permanently."

"We could take him in for a few days," Katniss offers, looking at me for permission. I nod in agreement.

"Oh, that would be wonderful!" Dr. Monroe exclaims. She goes to speak with another doctor and then returns with a smile on her face. "You're free to take him. We'll be looking for a place for him to stay permanently, so hopefully he won't have to stay with you for too long." Katniss and I nod before making our way over to the boy.

"Hi," Katniss says as we approach. There is no response from the little boy. He has grey-blue eyes and short, curly, reddish-brown hair. "Did the doctors tell you what happened to your parents?" Katniss asks him. Alexander nods solemnly. "I'm Katniss and this is Peeta. You're gonna come stay at our house for a little bit. Is that okay?" He nods once again and Katniss takes his little hand and we head back home.

Haymitch's POV

Effie and I have just finished feeding the Mellark kids when Katniss and Peeta come through the door, with a guest.

"Who's this little guy?" Effie asks, her voice taking on the tone it does every time she speaks with one of the kids.

"This is Alexander," Katniss informs us all. She gestures subtly for Effie and I to join her in the living room and leaves the kids with Peeta.

"What's up, buttercup?" I ask Katniss once we are out of earshot of the kitchen.

"Um . . . well, you guys know about the mine explosion that happened earlier," She says.

"Yeah," I tell her.

"Well, Alex's parents were killed in it," She says and my heart drops.

"Oh dear," Effie exclaims as she covers her mouth with her hands. Katniss just nods solemnly before continuing.

"He's going to be staying with us for a few days until they find someone for him to stay with permanently." Katniss tells us. We exchange a few more words on the matter before Katniss heads back into the kitchen. I turn to Effie and the way she's looking at me scares me a bit.

"No," I tell her before she can even get her request out.

"Oh, Haymitch, why not?" She asks me, her crystal blue eyes pleading with me to change my mind.

"We're too old to have a kid, Ef." I tell her.

"We aren't 'having a kid'. We'd just be adopting a little boy that deserves two people that love him." She quarrels.

"We haven't even formerly met the kid!" I tell her. She can't really be serious about adopting this kid, can she?

"I just felt this connection with him," She says.

"No," I tell her again.

"Haymitch, he needs someone to love him," She persists.

"How can we love him when we haven't even met him? We don't know a damn thing about him!" I tell her, trying to keep my voice's volume down.

"We can learn to love him, Haymitch. And we do know something about him. We know that he is officially all alone in this world. Don't you remember what that felt like?" Her words sting a bit. Using my own life story is kind of low of her, but she does have a point.

"No," I repeat, desperately trying to hide the fact that I am actually considering Effie's crazy idea.

* * *

><p><strong>So, what'd you think? How do you think things will play out? Please leave your thoughtsidea/rantings/etc. in a review. Thanks for reading!**

**P.S. You guys should check out New Beginnings by Greenskittles22. Please and thank you! :D  
><strong>


	64. Chapter 64

**Hey, Everyone! Another chapter! I actually have four more all ready for you so I hope you're comfortable! Read on! Disclaimer: THG is not mine.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixty-Four <span>

Haymitch's POV

It is almost midnight. Effie is asleep, her head in my lap. Katniss and Peeta are asleep at the other end of the couch. I am the only person awake in the house. After Effie and I had our little tiff, we all did our best to make Alex feel comfortable.

The boy was painfully shy. That was obvious from the way he would only respond to your questions with motions of his head and how he would cower away from Ivy and her adamant attempts at getting him to play with her. Ivy had taken an obvious liking to the shy little boy as soon as they had been introduced.

There was also an obvious, albeit odd, connection formed between Effie and Alex. The boy seemed to be comfortable around the once Capitol woman. She managed to get him to eat a bit of dinner after both Katniss and Peeta had failed at the task. Then, a few hours later, it had been Effie that managed to get Alex to sleep.

My eyelids are just starting to droop, when I hear a whimpering sound coming from the baby monitor that Katniss insisted we use for Alex tonight. I tell myself that he will calm down in a few minutes and close my eyes again. When the whimpering doesn't stop, I shift Effie so that her head is lying on a pillow instead of my lap and I head upstairs.

There is a faint blue glow fills the room that Alex is in thanks to the night light. Alex is lying in the twin sided bed, still whimpering.

"Hey, buddy, what's wrong?" I ask him as I kneel beside the bed. He doesn't respond. He just looks back at me with his piercing grey-blue eyes. "C'mon buddy, spit it out." I encourage him, giving him a small, hopefully encouraging, smile.

"I had a bad dream," He tells me, his voice soft in the darkness.

"Oh, well, that ain't so bad. I have bad dreams all the time." I tell him, rubbing his little shoulder.

"I wet the bed, too." He says, eyes averting mine as if in shame. I sigh inwardly. That's not something I do all the time.

"Alright, well, let's get you out of bed." I tell him as pull the covers off him. The scent of urine wafts up towards me and I wrinkle my nose. I lead Alex to the bathroom down the hall and strip him of his urine soaked pajamas. I run him a bath, adding some bubble bath soap just to add a positive spin to the situation. While I am waiting for the bathtub to fill up, I strip his bed of its soiled sheets, send them down the laundry chute, and put clean sheets on the bed. Then, I grab some new pajamas and underwear from Phoenix's room. I wash Alex off, the whole time trying to make this sound like a positive thing.

"You know, the coolest people always take baths at midnight," I tell him as rinse him off. He just looks back at me, almost with the same expression that Effie does when she is silently mocking me. I dry him off and dress him in the clean pajamas.

"Alright, time to go back to sleep," I tell him as I pull the covers up around him.

"Will you tell me a story?" He asks, his grey-blue eyes pleading with me.

"Alright," I tell him. When did I get so soft? "What do you want me to read you?"

"Mommy and daddy always used to make up their own stories," He tells me and I watch as his little, bottom lip quivers at the thought of his parents. I think for a minute before a story finally comes to mind.

"Once upon a time," I begin, "there was a very beautiful princess that lived in the most gorgeous castle in the most prestigious kingdom. One day, the princess had to make a journey to the lowest village in the whole kingdom, a place she disdained very much.

"In that village there lived a rebellious, dashingly handsome youth. The princess and the youth took an instant disliking to each other. The youth loved to torment the princess for the fun of it and the princess never thought that a subject of hers could be so ill-mannered; but, as the seasons went on, the youth and princess started to develop likings to each other, though neither of them would admit it to the other.

"Eventually, the time came when the princess could no longer resist the handsome youth. The two shared a kiss in the autumn afternoon and that was the start of something beautiful. The couple was infatuated with one another, but their relationship wasn't completely smooth running. They had their fights like any other couple. Then, just a few years ago, the princess and the youth had an ornate wedding and lived happily ever after." I smile as I watch Alex's eyelids droop just as I finish my story. I gently run my fingers through his curls and plant a soft kiss to the top of his head. I hate to admit it, but Effie was most definitely right about this kid.

"Dashingly handsome?" Effie asks from the doorway, a skeptical look on her face.

"Yes," I tell her as I walk over to her.

"You were really good with him," She tells me, her fingers playing with my hair.

"You think so?" I ask her.

"I do," She answers me.

"Well, I think you were right . . . earlier." I tell her.

"You do?" She asks, her lips turning up into a hopeful smile.

"Yeah," I tell her.

"So does that mean you want to adopt him?" Effie asks me, her blue eyes shining with excitement.

"I do," I tell her, smiling as I watch her smile grow ten times bigger. She wraps me into her arms and hugs me tightly.

The next morning, Effie and I take Alex aside to talk to him about us possibly adopting him.

"Well, buddy, Effie and I wanted to talk to you about something." I tell him.

"What?" He asks us, cocking his head to the side.

"Well, we were wondering if you would be open to the idea of us adopting you." I suggest to him.

"Like, you would be my new mommy and daddy?" He asks us.

"Well, in a way." Effie tells him tentatively.

"Would I be living with you?"

"Yes," Effie tells him. I can tell she is incredibly nervous; afraid that Alex will now want to be part of our family. Alex remains silent for a long while, a thoughtful look on his face, before he finally responds.

"Would I get to play with Phoenix and Ivy?" He asks.

"Of course you would," Effie answers him, smiling.

"Okay," He replies with a smile, his blue-grey eyes sparkling.

"Okay?" Effie asks confused as to what just happened.

"Okay, you can be my mommy and daddy." Alex clarifies. I see Effie's eyes start to tear up. "Can I go play now?" He asks, his innocent grey-blue eyes shining with innocence.

"Go ahead," I tell him. He smiles at me and I am completely caught by surprise when he gets up and hugs me. I hug him back awkwardly, at a loss for words at the moment. He kisses my cheek before moving onto Effie. She hugs him back and the two embrace for a moment longer than he and I had. He kisses her cheek and then heads off to play with Phoenix and Ivy on the swing set.

"We're a family," Effie whispers into my ear as I pull her close to me.

* * *

><p><strong>So what'd you think? Think Haymitch could make a good father? Let me know in reviews! Thanks for reading! :D<br>**


	65. Chapter 65

**Hey, Everyone! Here's another chapter! I hope you're all enjoying my story! Read on! Disclaimer: I do not own THG.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixty-Five<span>

Effie's POV

_*One Month Later*_

"Haymitch, can you go make sure Alex's room is picked up?" I ask him as I finish cleaning up the kitchen. Haymitch nods and heads upstairs.

The day after Alex agreed to the adoption, we got all the proper paper work signed and all the mandatory meetings taken care of at the Justice Building. Then, I started on the task of fixing up a room to Alex's likings. It had taken me a while to figure out what he liked, but it soon came clear what Alex loved: Science.

So, I had chosen a laboratory theme for his bedroom. His bed set's theme was astronomy and Haymitch and I glued glow in the dark stars on the ceiling above his bed. He had a shelf filled with beakers and test tubes. Haymitch had even insisted that we buy him a fully functioning microscope and a lab coat. Alex had been more than delighted the first night he got to sleep in his new room.

"His room's all clean, not that it matters." Haymitch grumbles as he comes back into the kitchen.

"And why doesn't it matter?" I ask him as I frost Alex's birthday cake.

"The kids are just gonna spend the whole night in the living room watching those movies you picked out." He replies. I know he is right, but it is still good manners to have a clean house when you have guests coming over. Even if those guests are family.

"Did you wake him up from his nap while you were up there? He really should start getting ready." I tell Haymitch.

"Princess, he's a boy. He's supposed to roll out of bed at the last minute, throw on a clean shirt, and call himself ready." Haymitch replies, stealing a finger-full of frosting from the cake.

"No son of mine will turn into a slob like his father," I quip. Haymitch smiles at me like he does every time I refer to him as Alex's father. Surprisingly, Alex started calling us "mommy" and "daddy" a lot sooner than anyone had expected. I still get chills every time he calls me "mommy".

"I'm going to get him ready," I say. "Don't eat all the frosting off that cake."

"Alex, sweetie, it's time to wake up." I say softly as I gently shake his little body. He stirs a bit but does not wake. I swear he is picking up on Haymitch's bad habits already. "Alex, you need to get up. It's a big, big day!"

"I'm up, mommy." He grumbles as he sits up and rubs his eyes. I ruffle his curly, reddish-brown hair and go over to his closet to find something for him to wear. I pick out an orange and navy blue striped polo shirt and a pair of blue jeans for him. I help him change and wash up before we head back downstairs to await the arrival of our guests.

Ivy and Phoenix arrive around three in the afternoon. Katniss gives them goodbye kisses and then gives Alex his four birthday kisses before returning back home. I shuffle the trio into the living room and then start the first movie, _The Lion King. _

It had taken me many hours at the computer to find children's movies of any high quality. I had chosen only the highest rated for my son's birthday party. They watched _The Lion King, The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride _and _the Lion King 1 ½ _in succession before they got hungry enough for dinner. Dinosaur chicken nuggets and tater tots with a desert of chocolate frosted yellow cake was on the menu for tonight. I must say that the kids rather enjoyed the meal.

After dinner, Haymitch and I sat together in the living room and watched the next few movies with the kids. I must say that I rather enjoyed _The Lady and the Tramp. _I had even leaned closer to Haymitch so I could whisper in his ear that we were watching our life story. He chuckled outwardly at that one. Haymitch seemed, oddly enough, to enjoy _The Beauty and the Beast. _

By eight o'clock, it was obvious that all three kids were ready for bed. Haymitch decided that it would be cool if we let the kids "camp out" in the living room. So, he pitched a tent in the middle of the room, rolled out three sleeping bags, and gave each kid a flash light. They were all so excited about this that it was kind of funny to watch them. Haymitch and I lie out on the couch together and eventually fell asleep, the excitement of the day wearing us out.

The next morning, we are awakened by the giggles of three little children. I get up and leave Haymitch, who is attempting to fall back asleep, to go make pancakes for breakfast. Haymitch finally enters the kitchen as the kids are eating their breakfast happily.

"Good morning, Princess," He says, pecking me on the lips.

"Good morning," I reply, kissing his lips again.

"Ewwww," Three little voices exclaim in unison, causing Haymitch and I to pull apart.

"Damn kids," Haymitch grumbles, only loud enough for me to hear. I swap him and fix him a plate of pancakes.

Shortly after breakfast, Katniss comes to pick up the twins. There is much whining and begging done before Katniss finally gets Phoenix and Ivy to go home with her, tempting them with Peeta's freshly baked cookies.

"Did you have a fun fourth birthday, sweetie?" I ask Alex as I am picking up the kitchen.

"Yeah," He replies, handing me some utensils to load into the dishwasher.

"Where did daddy get off to?" I ask Alex who just shrugs in response. "Should we go find him?" Alex nods. Together we go through the house and eventually end up in the garage, where I knew Haymitch was the whole time. In front of Haymitch there is a shining, candy apple red bicycle. I watch as Alex's eyes grow wide at the realization that this gift is, indeed, for him.

"Wanna learn how to ride?" Haymitch asks him, holding up a matching red helmet. Alex just nods in response. Haymitch gestures for him to go over to him and then opens the garage door. Haymitch puts the helmet and elbow and knee pads on Alex and then gets him situated on the bike and tells him to start peddling, that he won't let go until Alex tells him to. Alex peddles the bike out of the driveway and a little ways down the street until he must have given Haymitch the okay. Haymitch let's go and I find myself holding my breath as Alex peddles the bike all on his own, Haymitch quickly trotting behind him. They reach the end of the street before Alex stops the bike. They both look back at me, smiling and waving. I wave back, proud of what my boys have accomplished together today.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed that chapter. I just love Haymitch and Alex interacting together. :) Thanks for reading and please leave a review!<strong>

**P.S. I have the best readers ever!**


	66. Chapter 66

**Hey, Everyone! I don't have anything interesting to say so I'm just gonna let you go ahead and read. Read on! Disclaimer: THG is not mine. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixty-Six<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Two Months Later*_

I smile as I set the picnic tables for Phoenix and Ivy's fourth birthday party, the sound of Phoenix, Ivy, and Alex's giggles surrounding me. It's amazing how quickly they all became such good friends. At first, Alex had been incredibly shy, especially when it came to Ivy's greatly curious nature. But, eventually, he had started to open up. Nowadays, you couldn't pry them apart from each other with the Jaws of Life.

I have to admit, I am slightly worried about how Alex will respond the sudden influx of "strangers" at the house in just a couple of hours. There is no question that everyone in the family will welcome him with open arms; technically, we're just a big adopted family anyway.

Thankfully, when the guests do finally start to arrive, they do so in a staggering manner. This way, we can introduce Alex to everyone in small groups. My mother, like every time, is the first to arrive.

"Mom, there's someone new that you need to meet." I tell her as I lead her out back where the kids are all still playing, telling her Alex's story as we walk. Effie and Haymitch are reclining at one of the picnic tables, watching the children play. I call Alex over to where my mom, Effie, Haymitch, and I are and introduce him.

"Alex, this is my mom. Can you say hi?" I ask him, running my fingers through his curly hair. He just hides his face behind Effie's leg. "He's shy," I tell my mom, who nods in understanding.

"Hi Alex, my name is Sarah, but you could call me grandma if you like." My mom says, kneeling down to Alex's level.

"Hi," Alex replies, smiling at little bit. I relinquish him and he runs off to continue his playing.

The rest of the introductions go basically the same way. Johanna, once again, feels the need to torment Peeta by saying that now both his daughters will have boyfriends in no time. Peeta does not find this amusing at all.

Once all the guests have arrived, the festivities begin! Effie and I have a few kiddie pools set up with various water games. All the kids seem to enjoy the opportunity to swim, especially baby Finn. I watch with a smile on my face as Ivy and Alex remain inseparable for the entire party. Ivy even insists that Alex help her and Phoenix blow out their birthday candles.

A few hours later, once most of the guests have left, only Gale, Liam, Effie, Haymitch, and Alex remain. Liam, Lilac, and Finn are asleep in the playpen that is set up in the living room. Phoenix, Ivy, and Alex are asleep on the loveseat in the living room.

"I guess they completely tired themselves out," Peeta laughs as we all observe the scene. It is actually really cute to watch. Gale, Haymitch, Effie, Peeta, and I move to the kitchen for some conversation.

"So how are you all liking parenthood?" I ask Gale, Effie, and Haymitch.

"It's tiring, but I love it." Gale says a broad smile on his face.

"I agree," Haymitch says as he leans back in his chair.

"You two have it easy," Gale says to Effie and Haymitch. "Your kid is out of the baby stage."

"Trust me; raising a four year old isn't any easier than raising a baby." Haymitch says. "At least your kid sleeps for ninety percent of the day. And you have a nanny!"

"I only have a nanny because I have to work during the day," Gale says. "You get to spend all day with your kid."

"And I wouldn't change that for anything in the world," Haymitch tells him with a smile.

"So, Gale, got any news about the government?" I ask him.

"Well, things have been pretty quiet. We're just really enforcing the quota meeting thing right now. Remington is setting things up to send peacekeepers to all the districts so they can keep tabs on the products." Gale tells us.

"I heard something about a health care program from a friend of mine in the Capitol," Effie mentions.

"Oh, yeah, Remington is really hell-bent on starting this new health care program that takes money from the rich to pay for some of the poor citizens' medical care. So far it isn't flying to well, but we'll see what happens I guess." Gale expands.

"I can't get over the fact that we all have kids," Peeta says randomly. We all chuckle but agree.

"I honestly never imagined Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy raising a kid together. That just blows my mind," I add.

"Well, technically, it's not Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy. It's Effie Abernathy." Haymitch corrects.

"You know, I wish I could see you guys more often. It kinda sucks that I'm all the way in the Capitol and my family is all the way in District 12." Gale sighs, a sad look in his eyes.

"Well, you know, with the new trains coming out that are faster, you could live in District 12 and commute to the Capitol in the mornings. It would be kind of a long train ride, but if you really want to move here, we can all make it work." I suggest.

"Do you think it would work?" Gale asks, genuinely interested in my idea.

"Yeah," I tell him. "The train ride would probably be an hour to an hour and a half. You could get like a pass or something so you don't have to pay every time you ride the train. You only work five days a week so you could hang out with everyone on the weekends."

"That actually sounds good," Gale tells me, a smile forming on his face.

"Plus, we could watch Liam while you were at work. Then you wouldn't need a nanny." Peeta adds.

"That's right." Gale says. "I'd rather my son was watched by family then a stranger."

"So, what do you say?" I ask him.

"I say that I'm moving to District 12!" Gale exclaims.

* * *

><p><strong>Interesting new development we have here! What are your thoughts? Let me know what you think in a review! Thanks for reading!<strong>


	67. Chapter 67

**Hey, Everyone! This is t****he last chapter of my writing rampage. Don't worry, more to come soon. This story is getting close to its end. I feel like I should be sadder than I am, but I'm just too excited for my sequel! Oh well! Anyhow, read on! Disclaimer: I do not own THG.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixty-Seven<span>

Katniss' POV

_*Two Weeks Later*_

Today is the day I have been dreading for the last couple of months: Phoenix and Ivy's first day of pre-school. Don't get me wrong, my children's education is important to me it's just . . . I can't imagine not having them at home all day, every day.

Peeta keeps repeating to me that it's only for three hours, three days a week and he's right. This shouldn't be as hard for as it is, but I can't help it. They're my babies! Thankfully, I'm not the only one that feels this way. Effie is as just a big of a wreck as I am.

We all walk to the school together. Haymitch is continuously rolling his eyes at mine and Effie's antics. He thinks we're being overdramatic.

We arrive at the school and it is time to say goodbye for a few hours. I smother both my babies with hugs and kisses. Beside me, Effie is doing the same with Alex. Peeta finally pries my off and give Phoenix and Ivy his own hugs and kisses.

"Alright, well, have a good day and mommy and daddy will be here at eleven-thirty to pick you up." I tell them as I give them a few more kisses.

"Same with us," Effie tells Alex as she kisses his cheek once more and fixes his curly hair. Phoenix, Ivy, and Alex head into the school, happy as can be and not even giving us a second glance. Effie and Peeta head off to the bakery for the morning and Haymitch and I walk back to Victor's Village.

Effie's POV

The clock finally reaches eleven-fifteen. I have never been so happy to look at a clock in my entire life. I quickly discard my apron and Peeta and I are out the door. Haymitch and Katniss meet us on the road to the school.

"Oh, I do so hope that they had a good day." I say as we walk.

"Ef, I'm sure the kids had the time of their life. For some odd reason, they seem to enjoy learning." Haymitch assures me. We wait outside impatiently with all the other parents. Finally, the kids start to come out. There are only about twenty kids in the class, which is a fairly good class size.

I cannot express the happiness I feel when Alex runs into my arms. I lift him up and hug him tightly, kissing his cheeks repeatedly. Haymitch eventually manages to pry Alex out of my arms and get his own hug.

"How was it, buddy?" He asks Alex, who is wearing a bright smile.

"It was fun. Miss Olivia is really nice and smart." Alex tells him.

"Did you learn anything?" Haymitch asks.

"We just got our books and had fun today," Alex tells us.

"I didn't know you go books in pre-school," Haymitch says.

"They just get a few workbooks," I inform Haymitch. "To build basic arithmetic and writing skills,"

We all decide that we should go out for lunch as a celebration of sorts. We pick a relatively new diner that serves all the classic foods.

We order the kids hot dogs and fries from the kid's menu. Haymitch orders a hamburger and I order a salad. I can't keep my fingers from Alex's hair as we eat. It's crazy how much I missed my baby boy this morning. I have no idea what I am going to do when he turns eighteen and is free to come and go as he pleases. The very thought of that time makes me sad.

After lunch, we bring the kids to the park to run off some of the extra energy they gathered from the ice cream that Haymitch insisted we let them have. He was definitely going to be the push over parent.

I watch as Haymitch pushes Alex and Ivy on a pair of swings. I honestly don't think I could have ever imagined a better way for my life to turn out. When I was locked in that cell in the Capitol, I never thought this would have ever been possible. And then my knight in shining armor came along and the rest is, well, history.

I will forever be indebted to Katniss and Peeta, too. They were the fire behind the Rebellion and helped rescue me from my torture. Then, they spent so many years putting Panem back together. And then, to top off their long list of great favors to me, they brought Alex into my life. That was probably the single thing I was most thankful for. Nothing could ever match up to my little angel.

After the kids have successfully burnt off all their energy, we headed back to Victor's Village. It is way passed the kids' naptime and I could tell that it was starting to take its toll on them. Haymitch actually ended up carrying Alex most of the way back home. Once we got home, we tucked in him for his nap and let him rest up after his very exciting day.

Katniss' POV

"Now, that was a busy day," I tell Peeta as I flop down next to him on the couch, having just successfully put all our kids down for naps.

"That it was," He replies, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"Did Phoenix tell you about the pictures he colored today?" I ask him.

"Yeah, he did. He really is turning into quite the artist, isn't he?" Peeta replies.

"He is. You know, I'm telling you, we're going to end up with an award winning scientist, a famous artist, a dazzling singer, and an Olympic swimmer for kids." I tell Peeta who just chuckles in response.

I was quite excited to see what for life paths that my children would choose. I could try to influence them all I could but, ultimately, the decision was theirs. They would have to leave home and start their own lives, making their own mistakes along the way.

I just hoped that they wouldn't have to go through what Peeta and I went through during our teenage years. I couldn't imagine watching my children fight for their lives in the Hunger Games. The very thought sends chills up my spine and makes my heart race. No, I would do everything in my power even give my own life, to assure that my children never had to go into the Hunger Games.

* * *

><p><strong>Kind of a heavy ending! Hope it doesn't foreshadow anything . . . O.o Please leave me a review on your way out and thanks so much for reading!<strong>


	68. Chapter 68

**Hey, Everybody! Turns out I had one more chapter in me before I went to bed! Yay! Now, I might not update as many chapters tomorrow as I normally do. Tomorrow I get to shadow a doctor for a few hours and I'm super excited! I'll try to get a chapter or two up for you guys tomorrow! Alrighty, well, read on! Disclaimer: THG is not mine.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixty-Eight<span>

Peeta's POV

_*Two Months Later*_

I watch my family with a smile on my face. I am so grateful that we can all get together for special occasions, such as birthdays. Today is Lilac and Finn's second birthday. The weather is a bit chilly so we are all inside mine and Katniss' house, which is pretty small compared to the amount of people inside it.

All the kids are having the time of their lives. Not only are they getting all the attention they could ask for, but they love all the games that Katniss and I chose as entertainment. Plus, all the sugar from the treats have them all hyped up.

Gale had just moved to District 12 last week. We had all spent the weekend helping him and Liam move into their new house right next door to mine and Katniss'. Effie had taken Gale furniture shopping since he hadn't been able to take any of his furniture from the Capitol with him. If there was one person that could make your house look amazing, it was Effie Trinket – ahem, I mean Abernathy.

Now, I couldn't help but notice how great friends all of our kids had become. Lilac, Finn, Ash, and Liam were all playing together on the living room floor with Lilac and Finn's toys, even some of the new ones they had gotten for their birthday. Phoenix, Ivy, and Alex were all reading a book together. Effie had sat down one day with them and thought she'd teach them the basics of reading. Ever since, they were all reading whenever they had a spare moment to.

A few hours later, all the kids were beyond exhausted from the day's events. Johanna and Katniss put Lilac, Finn, Ash, and Liam down for a nap in the playpen in the living room while Haymitch and I put Phoenix, Ivy, and Alex down for a nap upstairs in Phoenix's room. With all the kids out like a light, the adults moved into the kitchen for conversation. There wasn't a whole lot to talk about since we saw each other so often, but a few new things were uncovered. Johanna and Nash were kicking around the idea of moving to District 12. Johanna wanted to be closer to her family – all of us – and Nash' parents had given him their blessing if they truly wanted to go. No definite decisions had been made yet, though. Other than that, everything was basically same old, same old with everyone.

_*One Month Later*_

It is once again that holiday season where my cooking skills are greatly tested with all the cooking that must be done. Today I am very busy with preparing tonight's Thanksgiving dinner. Our house is a practically a circus tent right now with everyone staying here. Katniss and I even had to get a bigger dining table to accommodate for all the additions to the family this year. It's truly crazy how big our family has gotten.

Hours later, we are all finally seated around the big dining room table. The food I cooked, with some assistance from Katniss' mom, is beautifully placed on the table and light chatter fills the air. Katniss lightly taps on her glass with her fork, asking for silence.

"I do believe it is time for our Thanksgiving tradition," Katniss states with a smile. As usual, I start us off.

"This year, I am very much thankful for all the members of this family, whether you've been a part of it for fifteen years or just a few months." I say, my eyes wandering to those fairly new additions to our family.

"This year, I am thankful for the health and safety of all the members of this not so little family," Katniss says. I know she has been recently stressed over the arrival of peacekeepers from the Capitol. Just like me, they remind her of not-so pleasant times.

"I tankful for my mommy and daddy and my brodders and sister and Awex and eveeone else," Ivy says, a proud smile on her face.

"I'm thankful for my family," Phoenix plainly states. He's not a very social kid so I am happy with what he gives us.

"This year, I am most thankful for the newest addition to the family, my baby boy, Alex." Effie says as she kisses the top of Alex's head.

"I second that but would like to add my wife to the list of things I am grateful for this year. I'm always grateful for her but, if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have my son." Haymitch says as he grasps Effie's hand in his.

"I'm thankful for my new mommy and daddy," Alex says as he gives both Haymitch and Effie kisses. "And I'm thankful for Phoenix and Ivy," He adds, blowing kisses over to Phoenix and Ivy.

"This year, I am thankful to all of you for welcoming my son and me into your family," Annie says, a smile on her face and tears welling in her eyes.

"What she said," Kyle says as his turn, causing us all to laugh.

"This year, I am thankful to all of you for just being my family and loving me," Johanna simply says.

"I second what Johanna says and would like to add that I am thankful that my son has such great people to choose from as role models." Nash says patting little Ash's blonde hair covered head.

"I am thankful to Katniss and Peeta for all their help this year with Liam and just showing me the ropes of parenthood and making our move to District 12 go smoothly. I can never thank you guys enough." Gale says, his eyes getting a bit misty.

"This year, I am grateful for all of you. Each and every one of you brings something special and unique to this family and I could never imagine any other people that I would be so proud to call my family, blood relations or not." Mrs. Everdeen says, making eye contact with every member of the family.

"Alright, let's eat!" Katniss exclaims and we all dig in. Everyone raves about my food and I just brush off the comments. The food is delicious and the chatter is light. The kids make some hilarious comments that crack up the entire table. Everyone tells a little story and we all enjoy each other's company.

As the night goes on, I find myself looking at every adult member of the family and thinking about everything they've been through. Annie lost her husband just months before giving birth to his son, all after enduring her own and his Hunger Games. Johanna was tortured by the Capitol for information after going through two Hunger Games and, eventually, did get her happy ending. Gale had to watch Katniss, the girl he loved, go through two Hunger Games and then lead a Rebellion and endure years of hate from Katniss after Prim's death. Effie was tortured by the Capitol for information she didn't have after years of escorting children to their deaths. Haymitch survived the second Quarter Quell, a Hunger Games with twice the number of Tributes, lead a Rebellion, and beat alcoholism after years of addiction.

And last, but in no way least, Katniss who lost her father, had to fight to keep her family alive, went through two Hunger Games, lead a Rebellion, lost her sister and best friend, and prevailed through her depression. She never gave up on me when I was recovering from my hijacking. She gave me four beautiful children. She brought broken and damaged people together and created a family. What a lucky man I am to have Katniss Everdeen as my wife.

* * *

><p><strong>I hadn't planned that ending out and I am so happy with the way it came out! So, a question for you all, should Johanna, Nash, and Ash move to District 12? Tell me in reviews! Thanks for reading! :D<strong>


	69. Chapter 69

**Hey, Everyone! I really had to force myself to start this chapter because I was super tired after my job shadowing today, but you guys deserved another chapter, so here it is! Read on! Disclaimer: I do not own THG. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixty-Nine<span>

Haymitch's POV

_*One Month Later*_

"Daddy, do I have to go to bed?" Alex asks me, his lower lip jutted out in a pout.

"Yes, buddy," I answer him. "If you don't go to bed, you can't get your presents."

"Why do I have to go to bed to get my presents?" He questions.

"Because that's how Christmas works, buddy." I tell him.

"Why?" He continues his pest-like questioning. I let out a heavy sigh.

"Because that's how it's always worked," I say.

"Why?" Alex repeats.

"Alex, honey, stop asking your father all your questions. You should ask mommy. I'm much smarter than daddy." Effie says as she picks Alex up, giving me a wink. I mouth "Thank you" to her and start planning my revenge for that "I'm smarter than daddy" comment.

I stir as the bed beneath me begins to shake. Childish giggles fill the room. Without opening my eyes, I reach out and grab Alex to cease his jumping. I pull him down to me and nestle him in the space between Effie and me.

"Daddy, let me go!" He calls through his giggles.

"I don't think so, buddy," I tell him as I begin to tickle him, finally opening my eyes. His giggles get louder and louder and, eventually, Effie wakes up from the commotion.

"What are you two doing?" She asks us.

"Nothing," Alex and I both answer in unison, giving Effie our 'innocent' smiles.

"Is someone excited for Christmas?" She asks Alex, tickling his tummy.

"Yeah, mommy," He exclaims. Effie and drag ourselves out of bed after our way too energetic son. In our living room, Alex is already shaking some of the boxes, trying to discover what is beneath the shiny wrapping paper.

Effie and I went all out trying to make sure this is Alex's favorite Christmas. We had all gone out as a family to buy new Christmas decorations for the house. Then we went home and put them all up. The Abernathy house was definitely the most festive this holiday season. Then, just two weeks before Christmas, we went out on a hunt to find the perfect tree. Alex had chosen a ten foot beauty. So, we brought it home and started decorating it.

"Can I start, mommy?" Alex asks Effie as she sits down next to me on the couch. She nods and I wrap my arm around her. Alex tears at the wrapping paper with lightning speed and his first present is revealed in a matter of seconds. It is a remote control Tyrannosaurus Rex. Alex's eyes light up as he studies his new toy.

"Do you like it, buddy?" I ask him.

"I love it, daddy!" He exclaims.

"Well, you got more presents to open, so put that down and hop to." I tell him and he obeys readily. With each new present, Alex's eyes light up even brighter, like he can't believe this is all for him. Honestly, Effie and I probably went majorly overboard but it's okay. He's our only son! Alex receives anything and everything science related that is appropriate for his age group; from dinosaur skeleton models to telescopes to plant terrariums. He loves them all and, once he has finished opening his presents, he smothers Effie and me with hugs and kisses.

"Now you get to open your presents!" Alex exclaims as he quickly runs up to his room. Effie and I look at each other. I feign a confused expression as to not give away the fact that Alex and I got Effie a very special present. A few minutes later, Alex comes bounding back down the stairs, a big box in his little arms. He walks over to us and puts the box down in front of us before he opens it and pulls out two separate boxes. He hands one to me and the other to Effie.

"Mommy, you go first!" He tells Effie, who just nods before opening the box. Underneath the wrapping paper there is a black, velvet covered box. Inside that box, there is a charm bracelet, a charm bracelet with mine and Alex's birthstones and pictures of us. Tears spring to Effie's eyes as she covers her mouth with her hand.

"Do you like it, mommy?" Alex asks.

"Oh, baby, I love it so much!" Effie exclaims as she pulls Alex in for a tight hug. "Thank you! Thank you, both!" Effie says as she pulls me into the hug, too.

"I'm glad you like, Princess." I tell her, kissing her cheek lightly.

"Now it's daddy's turn!" Alex exclaims as he scrambles out of Effie's grasp to hand me a box. I look at Effie suspiciously but she just shrugs at me. I tear away the wrapping paper and open the box. Inside the box, there is a silver pocket watch. I glance up at Effie, who is holding Alex in her lap, and pull the watch from the box. On the front of the pocket watch, this is engraved: Any man can be a father but it takes a special man to be a dad. I swallow, trying to will the tears forming behind my eyes to stop. I open the pocket watch and on the inside of the cover there is a picture of Alex, smiling, as happy as can be. I take a deep breath before I pull my wife and son into my arms.

"I love you both so much," I tell them as I give them each a kiss on the top of the head.

"We should get ready and head over to Katniss and Peeta's," Effie says as I finally release them. I nod and take Alex upstairs to get ready.

Twenty minutes later, we are all over at the Mellarks' house. The house is a complete circus with all the kids running around with their new toys. Seven kids in one confined space is just a crazy idea. I watch as Alex shows Phoenix and Ivy his new remote control T-Rex. So far, it has been deemed as his new favorite toy.

Johanna and Nash decided to move to District 12, but the move wouldn't be happening for a few weeks yet. They still needed to get a house and Nash and Johanna needed to secure jobs before they could move. Johanna was adamant against Nash getting a job in the mines. I think everyone understood why.

The rest of the day goes by fairly uneventful. We eat a wonderful dinner prepared by Peeta and, once all the kids have all gone to bed, the adults chit chat in the living room, enjoying the heat of the fire in the fireplace.

Around midnight, Effie and I decide to head home. I sneak up the stairs and into Phoenix's room to grab Alex. I pick him up gingerly, not wanting to wake him up from his peaceful slumber. Effie and I walk back to our house, our feet crunching on the fine layer of snow that covers the crowd. The colorful lights throughout the neighborhood express the holiday cheer.

We enter the house and I take Alex up the stairs to his bedroom. I untangle his arms from around my neck and gently lay him down on his bed. I place a gentle kiss on his head and pull the covers up around him.

"I love you, daddy." He tells me through his sleep, sufficiently tugging at my heart strings.

"I love you, too, buddy." I tell him before quietly exiting the room, tears welling up behind my eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>Alex just makes me "awwwww' way too much. I love him so much! And I love Haymitch! So, guys, we're about . . . six chapters away from the end of this story . . . wow . . . I feel like I just started it yesterday. Well, I guess all good things must come to an end eventually, huh? Leave me a review and tell me what you thought of this chapter. Thanks for reading! <strong>


	70. Chapter 70

**Hey, Everyone! Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I really tried to but I was so tired and my neck hurt and I had to get up early this morning. It just wouldn't have been quality stuff if I wrote it yesterday. And, to be honest, I wasn't really feelin it tonight, but I needed to update cuz I wont be updating for a few days again like last weekend. But, maybe by then, I'll have this story finished. :0. Read on! Disclaimer: THG is not mine.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seventy<span>

Effie's POV

_*Five Months Later*_

I squint my eyes against the sun pouring through the curtains of mine and Haymitch's bedroom as I slowly pull myself from my slumber. I reach out for Haymitch, only to discover that he has gotten out of bed before me. That is a very rare occurrence. I get out of bed, pull on my pink satin robe, and head downstairs. Once I am downstairs, I head to the kitchen for my morning coffee.

"Happy Mother's day!" Haymitch and Alex exclaim just as I enter the kitchen. The kitchen table is full of all my favorite breakfast foods: blueberry waffles, sausage links, poached eggs, and freshly squeezed orange juice. So much happiness floods into me that I have to choke back tears. I rush over and pepper both my boys with a million kisses.

"Mommy, stop it!" Alex giggles as he fights against my kisses.

"Oh, you boys are the best any woman could ever ask for." I tell them as I throw my arms around them.

"We're just trying to make your first mother's day the best it can be." Haymitch tells me as he kisses my lips gently. I sit down with them and we enjoy our breakfast as a family.

"Now, we have a surprise for you." Haymitch says just as the doorbell rings. He goes to answer the door while I wait in the kitchen with Alex, who just gives me a cheeky grin. I eye him suspiciously but his smile does not falter.

"Alex, bring her in." Haymitch calls from the living room and Alex takes my hand to lead me to him.

I gasp when I enter our living room. The room has, very quickly, been transformed into a sort of spa. There are three women standing with Haymitch. Haymitch introduces them as a masseuse and a nail technician and a hair dresser.

"I figured since it's been . . . a few years since you were last pampered that today was as good a day as any." Haymitch tells me with a smile.

"Oh, Haymitch this is so thoughtful and wonderful." I tell him as I kiss him once more.

"And, as a special, one time favor to you as a way to show you just how much I love you, Alex and I will be joining you in your spa day." He says. Haymitch Abernathy enduring a spa day all for me! This is quite an exciting day.

Katniss' POV

I wake up to the scent of bacon and the sound of giggles. I crack one of my eyes open, just enough to investigate. I am met with the sight of my four beautiful children and my very handsome husband standing over the bed, Peeta with a tray of food in hand.

"Happy Mother's Day!" They all exclaim once they notice that I am awake. I smile instantly as I gesture for all my babies to come and give me hugs. Once I have hugged each of them a million times, Peeta lays the tray over my lap and goes to sit on the opposite side of the bed.

We spend the morning in bed, eating the delicious breakfast that Peeta and the kids made for me.

"Well, Katniss, the kids and I have a surprise for you." Peeta says as he clears away the now empty tray.

"There's more?" I ask him, baffled that there's more than spending a wonderful morning with my wonderful family.

"Of course there's more! You didn't think that the only thing you'd be getting on Mother's Day was breakfast in bed, did you?" Peeta asks me, smiling brightly at me. I chuckle in response and he continues.

"Well, we'll be going on a family camping trip for the night." Peeta tells me.

"A camping trip?" I ask him, slightly confused.

"Yeah," He replies. "We'll be taking a tent and sleeping in it on the ground in the middle of the woods while we rough it for the rest of today, tonight, and tomorrow until we come home."

"Are you sure about taking our four small children into the middle of the woods?" I ask him. I love his idea but I am a little worried about the kids and everything that could happen while we're camping.

"Yes," He answers and I trust him completely. So, we all get ready and head out into the woods.

The hike is only about a mile into the woods to a spot that Peeta picked earlier this week. Peeta and I carry the youngest twins in back carriers. It's a good thing Ivy and Phoenix are always full of energy and listen to both Peeta and me. If they didn't, well, let's just say it would have been a stressful mile.

Once we reach the nice little clearing that Peeta chose for our camping trip, Peeta and I set up the tent as the kids sit and relax. Once the tent is set up, the kids help us unroll the sleeping bags and set up our camping supplies. Then, I take Ivy and Phoenix foraging and Peeta starts a fire while watching Lilac and Finn.

The foraging is . . . interesting. Ivy just desperately wants to go off and investigate all the new things around her. I swear I really just wanted to put her on one of those child leashes. But, I do love her curious nature. Phoenix stays ever true to his usual docile nature, just silently watching the nature around him. He smiles up at me when a butterfly lands on his out stretched hand.

We return forty-five minutes, a few baskets full of fruits and edible roots, to find that Peeta has had very good success with the fire. He is sitting in front of it, Finn and Lilac in his lap.

"I see you had as much luck with the fire as we had with the foraging," I tell him as Phoenix, Ivy, and I sit down next to him.

"It took me a little bit but, all of a sudden, it just took off. Then I was kinda worried that I was gonna burn down half of the forest." Peeta chuckles as he wraps his arm around me.

We sit around the fire for a few hours, watching the sun go down in front of us. Phoenix and Ivy look around, discovering some bugs and then coming over to proudly show us. Lilac and Finn sit contently on our laps, watching their siblings curiously.

Once the sun has gone down and the kids have had enough s'mores for a lifetime, Peeta and I decide it's time for bed. We crawl into the tent and get settled, the kids between Peeta and I. Finn and Ivy snuggle up to me while Lilac snuggles up to Peeta and Phoenix just sleeps in the middle. "I love you," Peeta mouths to me. "I love you, too," I mouth back with a smile.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm sorry about the huge time lapse but I am desperately trying to get to my goal point without boring you all too much. I found this chapter a little boring so sorry. Hopefully things pick up in cutenessfluff/humor/excitement(?). I also need some help from you guys. I've found that, since Haymitch has stopped drinking, he is an increasingly difficult character to find presents for and stuff like that. Tell me in a review what you think Haymitch would want to do with his son on Father's day. Thanks for reading everyone! **


	71. Chapter 71

**Hey, Everyone! Well, this is the homestretch. I have this finished and I'll have it all updated in the next fifteen minutes! I hope you enjoy! Disclaimer: THG Is not mine!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seventy-One<span>

Peeta's POV

_*One Month Later*_

"Happy Father's day!" The sound of my four children and my wife exclaim as I enter the kitchen.

"What's all this?" I ask them, surveying all the baking implements and ingredients spread out around the kitchen.

"This is your Father's day present," Katniss tells me. "We're all going to bake together."

"This is gonna be great," Is all I say before we jump right into the baking. Phoenix and Ivy help me measure out and mix ingredients. Lilac and Finn, with Katniss' help, frost the cupcakes and cakes and dowse the tops with various kinds and colors of sprinkles.

"Oh, I love you all so, so, so, so much." I tell my family as we sit in the kitchen, enjoying our masterpieces.

"Love you, too, daddy!" Ivy exclaims, kissing my cheek.

"Love you, daddy." Phoenix says, kissing my other cheek.

"Is there anything else you want to do today?" Katniss asks me.

"I don't have anything in mind. Did you?" I ask her.

"We could go spend the day at the park." She suggests.

"Daddy, can we?" Ivy asks me excitedly.

"Sure thing, pumpkin," I tell her. We pack up the kids and head off for the park.

At the park, we do an array of activities. I push Phoenix and Ivy on big kid swings while Katniss pushes Lilac and Finn in the baby swings. We go down the slides multiple times. Ivy does an amazing job on the monkey bars, staying true to her jungle-creature nature. Phoenix seems to enjoy the teeter-totter and we spend a good half hour on it. Finn gets upset when we tell him he can't go swimming and Lilac is content just sitting in the sun watching her siblings play. I can't help but survey how different all my children are. And I can't help but love each and every one of them even more for it.

Haymitch's POV

"Daddy, wake up," I hear Alex say as he jumps on the bed in an effort to awaken me. I roll over and blindly grab at Alex.

"Daddy!" He giggles as I pull him down to me.

"And what is it that you want, buddy?" I ask him as I kiss his cheeks.

"You need to get up," He tells me, very seriously.

"And why do I have to do that?" I ask him as I sit up in bed, Alex in my lap.

"Because it's Father's day," He tells me enthusiastically. "You gotta see your present!"

"Alright, alright, let's go." I tell Alex as I climb out of bed and follow him down the stairs.

"Did you manager to wake daddy up?" Effie asks Alex, smiling at us both.

"Yeah, he did." I tell her as I peck her lightly on the lips.

"Are you excited for your present?" She asks me, a spark of mischief in her eyes.

"That depends on what you got me," I tell her in an almost suggestive manner.

"It's in the garage," She says, lightly swatting my chest as she beckons me to follow her and Alex to the garage.

Effie opens the door to the garage and gestures for me to go in. I walk in and the sight before me is . . .

"Daddy, do you like it?" Alex asks me, holding onto my left leg.

"Oh, buddy, it's. . ." I am at a loss for words. In front of me there is a yellow, 1964 Porsche 911. She's a bit of a rough condition but she's definitely got potential.

"It doesn't run but I thought that you and Alex could fix it up together." Effie tells me.

"It's perfect," I finally breathe.

"You've mentioned that you've been looking for a new hobby and I thought that maybe this could be it." Effie says.

"Daddy, could we start today?" Alex asks me, clearly very eager to begin our project together.

"Sure thing, buddy," I tell him. "As long as it's okay with your mother," I say, giving Effie a questioning look.

"Oh, of course it's okay with me. Just be sure to come in for lunch and you both takes bathes tonight." Effie tells us and we readily agree to her terms.

Alex and I quickly change into old clothes and get right to work. In no time at all, our two car garage is quickly transformed into a classic car revamping station. After an hour of poking around, it becomes evident that the Porsche's engine needs to be completely redone.

"Daddy, how long is it gonna take?" Alex asks me as he desperately tries to see into the engine.

"Well, buddy, you and I might be spending a lot of time out here." I tell him as I run my fingers through his auburn curls.

We get started right away. Alex stands off to the side and hands me tools when I ask for them. Effie comes out periodically to check on us and to offer us some ice cold, homemade lemonade.

At noon, Effie comes into the garage and pries Alex and me away from the car for lunch. Lunch consists of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with apple slices and tall glasses of ice cold milk. She manages to keep us away for forty-five minutes before Alex and I can finally return to our project.

Three hours and many grease stains later, the car has yet to run. Despite our lack of success, I can honestly say that Alex and I have been having a great time together. It reminds me so much of when my dad and I would spend time together working on projects. That was before the Second Quarter Quell, before my family ended up in the Seam, before my father was killed in a mine explosion very similar to the one that killed Katniss' and Gale's fathers.

"Why do you look so sad, daddy?" Alex asks me.

"I'm not sad, buddy." I tell him as I shake away bad memories from my past. There is nowhere to look but ahead towards the future, with my wife and son by my side.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you liked this chapter. Leave me a review on your way out and thanks for reading!<br>**


	72. Chapter 72

**Hey, Everyone! Another chapter! Yay! We're so close to the end! I dont know if I should be happy or sad! Enjoy! Disclaimer: I do not own THG.**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seventy-Two<span>

Haymitch's POV

"Effie," I say as I gently shake my wife, trying to wake her from the nightmare that has her thrashing and moaning in fear. "Ef, wake up, Princess." My efforts are not successful.

"What's wrong with mommy?" Alex asks as he peeks into our bedroom.

"Mommy's just having a bad dream," I tell him as I continue shaking Effie.

"Haymitch," She groans. Alex climbs onto the bed and sits in my lap.

"I'm here, baby. I'm right here." I tell her, still shaking her lightly. Finally, Effie's eyes open. She almost has a deer in the headlights look about her.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Alex asks, climbing into his mother's lap.

"Mommy is fine, baby." She tells him as she kisses his head.

"Why'd you have a bad dream?" He asks, his grey-blue eyes shining with innocence. Effie looks over at me, her eyes matching I'm sure the look that is on my face. How do we describe to our innocent, four year old son why we both still have nightmares after so many years?

"Well, buddy, mommy just had some bad experiences." I tell him, hoping that will satisfy his curiosity.

"Like what?" Alex persists. I sigh inwardly.

"Sweetheart, when mommy was younger bad things happened to her." Effie tells Alex.

"Did bad things happen to daddy, too?" Alex asks, looking over at me. It breaks my heart to have to tell Alex about my past, about everything I've been through and done.

"Daddy's been through bad things, too." I tell him.

"Like what?" He asks, crawling back into my lap.

"Well, daddy's done bad things to other people and other people have done bad things to daddy." Effie tells him, grasping my hand.

"How come people hurt you, daddy?" Alex asks me.

"I guess they didn't like me very much," I tell him with a hint of humor.

"Why did you hurt other people, daddy?"

"Well, I hurt the people that were hurting your mommy." I tell him.

"You did it to save mommy?" He asks and I nod in confirmation. "You're a hero, daddy!" Alex exclaims as he gives me a big hug. I hug him back, completely awestruck at Alex's outburst.

"Your daddy is a hero," Effie encourages with misty eyes.

"I love you, daddy." Alex says, kissing my cheek.

"Daddy loves you, too, buddy." I tell him as I rub his back.

"Mommy, can I sleep in here tonight? Maybe I can keep your bad dreams away." Alex asks and Effie looks at me for agreement. I nod.

"Of course you can sleep here tonight, buddy." Effie tells him. We get him situated between us before switching the light off. Alex snuggles closer to me and I wrap my arm around him before falling into a peaceful sleep.

Effie's POV

I wake up the sight of Haymitch and Alex still fast asleep. I smile before thoughts of last night come back to mind. My nightmare of my time trapped in that cell in the Capitol. Alex's questions about mine and Haymitch's pasts last night had reminded me that, all too soon, we would have to tell him all about everything we've been through: Haymitch's games, what happened to his family, Peeta and Katniss' Games, the Rebellion, my imprisonment and torture.

Thoughts of my imprisonment in the Capitol flood my mind: the electric shock torture that most of the prisoners went through, the public executions that we were forced to watch, the screams of our friends that we had to listen to, the sexual torture that President Snow submitted me to. That had been the hardest one for me to bear. Peacekeepers that thought they could have their way with me would come and go as the pleased.

I hadn't told anyone, except for the doctors, until mine and Haymitch's honeymoon. I was so afraid that he would reject me, that he would think I was damaged goods. I had been completely blown away with his accepting reaction. He had definitely changed from the Haymitch I had known before the Rebellion.

"What are you thinking about?" Haymitch's question pulls me from my thoughts.

"Oh, nothing," I tell him with a smile I hope he can't tell is forced. He eyes me suspiciously but drops the matter.

"We're gonna have to tell him someday," Haymitch says with a touch of sadness. I don't even have to ask to know that he is thinking of the same things I was just previously thinking of.

"We'll get through it . . . together," I tell him.

"I just don't want him to change his mind . . . about thinking I'm a hero," He says and I can see the tears developing behind his eyes.

"Haymitch, you are a hero. You stopped the Hunger Games. You saved who knows how many thousands of children you saved." I tell him.

"But I killed so many others." He says.

"You did what you had to do to come out of the Quarter Quell alive," I tell him. "You didn't kill anyone, the Capitol did."

"Yeah, well, I helped the Capitol."

"Haymitch Abernathy, you stop this self-loathing this instance!" I demand. "Self-loathing is not a pretty color on you." He stares back at me with his hard, Seam grey eyes.

"The only thing that matters is that our son looks up to you. Nothing else matters. What happened in the past is in the past. We can't change it. All we can do is move forward." I urge him.

"I guess you're right," Haymitch says quietly.

"Oh, I know I'm right." I tell him, trying to suppress my smile.

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you liked this! A little bit heavier but that's okay I guess. Please review and thanks for reading!<br>**


	73. Chapter 73

**Hey, Everyone! Only two more chap****ters after this! Can you believe it? I can't believe it! Well, Read on my lovely readers! Disclaimer: THG is not mine. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seventy-Three<span>

Katniss' POV

"Mommy, can we please leave now?" Ivy asks for the millionth time in the last hour.

"Sweetheart, the party doesn't start until one. Grandma Effie and Grandpa Haymitch are getting the house ready for Alex's birthday party." I tell her.

"But daddy got to go," Ivy whines.

"Daddy is helping Grandma Effie bake the cake." I tell her, suppressing a sigh.

"Why couldn't I help Grandma Effie?" Ivy asks with a pout.

"Because you and Alex would end up doing more playing than helping," I tell her, pushing her hair from her face.

"Alex and I are gonna get married someday," Ivy informs me so candidly that I had to laugh out loud.

"Is that so?" I ask her, failing at suppressing my smile.

"Yup," She tells me.

"Don't tell daddy that. He's in denial that you'll ever grow up." I tell Ivy, kissing the top of her head. I silently hope that what Ivy said will be true one day.

Two hours later and Ivy is practically dragging me over to the Abernathy household. Her excitement over Alex's birthday party is very entertaining.

"We're here," I call as Ivy pulls me through the back door.

"Alex is in the living room," Effie tells Ivy and then she has to hold back her laughter as Ivy sprints to the living room, Phoenix calmly trailing behind her.

"She just cracks me up," Effie tells me.

"This morning, she told me that she and Alex are going to get married." I inform Effie.

"Oh, did she? I guess I should start planning the wedding," Effie jokes.

"What wedding?" Peeta asks as he and Haymitch come into the kitchen.

"Ivy and Alex are going to get married," Effie informs the guys. The look on Peeta's face is absolutely priceless.

"Looks like we're gonna be in-laws," Haymitch says with a smile as he claps Peeta on the back. "Lighten up, bread boy. She's only four. The odds that she even remembers what she said today next week are pretty slim." Peeta's facial expression does not change.

_Ding Dong. _The ring of the doorbell ends our little conversation, much to Peeta's likings. On the other side of the door is the Hemlock family and Gale and Liam. Johanna and Nash, and Ash of course, had just moved to District 12 less than a week ago. They had moved into the house on the left side of ours. Most of our odd little (well, technically big) family now lived in District 12, which was really nice for the kids.

And so, the party began. The kids ran through the house and the backyard, chasing each other with foam swords and water guns. All the adults just relax as we watch the kids have their fun. It really is refreshing to watch innocent fun after so many years of living in fear.

If we were in the pre-Rebellion era, Effie and Haymitch wouldn't be smiling as they watched their only son play with his friends in the backyard. No, they'd be afraid because Alex would be one year closer to having his name put into the Reaping bowl; one more year closer to possibly being in the Hunger Games, having to fight for his life while the Gamemakers throw everything they have at him.

"What are you thinking so hard about, sweetheart?" Haymitch asks, pulling me from my deep thoughts. I shake my head to indicate it was nothing important. "You were thinking about the Hunger Games, weren't you?"

"How could you tell?" I ask him, honestly baffled that he could have figured it out.

"Your teeth were clenched. I know that my teeth clench every time I think about the Hunger Games," Haymitch tells me. "So, what were you thinking about the Hunger Games for?"

"Just that I'm glad our kids never have to go through the reaping," I tell him.

"You and me both, sweetheart," Haymitch replies.

"Sometimes I have nightmares that all our kids are in the Hunger Games and . . ." I trail off.

"Only one comes out," Haymitch finishes for me. "I have those, too."

"It's just so hard to . . . to believe that the Games are really over, even after all these years. I just feel like I'm gonna wake up one day and the District is gonna be full of peacekeepers getting ready for the reaping. And then Effie, in some ridiculous pink outfit, is going to pick names from those damn balls." I rant.

"I can't believe it either. Some nights, after a really bad nightmare, Effie has to hold me down and tell me ten, twenty, thirty times that the Games are over with, that we're safe, and that Alex is safe." Haymitch tells me.

"I never wanted kids but the second I found out I was pregnant with Phoenix and Ivy, well, that all changed. Now, I couldn't imagine my life any other way. I love them all so much and I love our misfit family." I say.

"I never thought I'd be a daddy," Haymitch states. "But there was just a connection with Alex that I couldn't ignore. Thank God for Effie Trinket,"

"Abernathy," I correct him and we both laugh.

"Daddy, can you turn on the sprinkler?" Alex asks Haymitch, running up to him in his blue and green swim trunks.

"Sure thing, buddy," Haymitch says before getting up and setting up the sprinkler for the kids. I sit and watch the kids run through the sprinkler, their giggles filling the air. Watching my kids have fun and be happy with their, essentially, cousins is the best feeling on the face of the earth. I feel as Peeta wraps his arms around my neck.

"They look so happy," I tell him, leaning into his embrace.

"They are happy," He tells me. Happy, my children are happy. Happiness, an emotion I didn't have the chance to feel as a young adult. My eyes travel to all the faces of my family members. We might be misfits but we are happy misfits.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry these last few chapters have been sorta short. I hope they've been okay. Please review and thanks for reading!<strong>


	74. Chapter 74

**Hey, Everyone! Second to last chapter! o.O I hope you enjoy! Read on! Disclaimer: I do not own THG!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seventy-Four<span>

Katniss' POV

_*One Month Later*_

I have just finished packing up the kids' beach towels and lunches for the day when it is time to leave. Today, we – Gale, Liam, the Hemlocks, the Abernathys, and my family – are going on a day trip to the beach. Ivy and Phoenix would be riding with the Abernathys to the beach Johanna, Nash, Gale, Liam, and Ash ride with Peeta, Lilac, Finn, and I. It's a good thing our SUV was monstrous.

The kids are all very excited about this trip, especially Finn. It's completely crazy how much he loves the water. The kids are also excited because Annie and Kyle would be joining us on the beach. They were going to meet us there.

The drive doesn't feel like two hours. The time just flies by as we sing songs with the kids to keep them from getting bored and asking Peeta if we're there yet. As soon as the water comes into view, the kids become even more excited. Their squeals fill the car and I can't help but chuckle. Their excitement truly is adorable.

As soon as we get the kids out of their car seats, they all try to make a mad dash for the water. It's funny to watch all the dads rush to stop them before they hit the water. It's amazing how fast the toddlers can run.

Just a few minutes after we arrive, Annie and Kyle pull up to the beach. The kids just go ballistic and swarm Kyle as soon as he gets out of the car. They think that Kyle is the coolest person on the face of the earth.

"They're all so adorable," Annie says as we observe the kids with Kyle. "I can't believe how much bigger they all are."

"It's crazy how fast they're all growing up. I can't believe that next month is Phoenix and Ivy's fifth birthday." I reply with a shake of my head.

"Next thing you know they'll be teenagers," Annie tells me.

"Oh, I'm definitely looking forward to that." I joke. Annie laughs.

"It's not so bad raising teenagers. Especially if you've got the good ones," Annie says.

"You've got a good one," I tell Annie as we observe Kyle playing with all the kids in the water.

"He is so much like his father," Annie says. I can hear just a hint of sadness in her voice but there is an even bigger hint of pride.

"Finnick would be proud," I tell her. "Kyle is a great young man."

"He is, isn't he?" Annie replies, looking over at me.

"Mommy, look at me!" I hear Finn yell. I look up and find Finn stand on a boogie board that Kyle is holding steady. He manages to hold his position for just a few seconds before the waves knock him over.

I scan the beach for the rest of my children. Ivy and Alex are building a sandcastle together with the help of Haymitch and Effie, all of them laughing and smiling together. Phoenix is drawing in the sand with Peeta; just far enough down the beach to have the waves lap at his feet as he sits. Lilac is dancing across the beach to the music that has been in her head the day she was born. Ash and Liam are dancing with her. Johanna, Nash, and Gale are watching with laughter.

"Your kids are going to be great adults," Annie tells me.

"I can only hope that they end up as happy as I am with my family." I reply, watching my family enjoy their time on the beach.

A few hours later, we are all walking on the boardwalk. Well, I am carrying Lilac and Johanna is carrying Ash. We find a picnic table area on the boardwalk and sit down. Effie and I unpack and pass out all the sandwiches. The kids fill up the time with idle chatter about how much fun they're having. Alex, Ivy, and Phoenix go on and on about how excited they are to start kindergarten next month. Lilac, Finn, Ash, and Liam ask all kinds of questions about pre-school. I cannot believe that all my babies are going to be in school in just a month.

"Mommy, can we go on the Ferris wheel?" Phoenix asks me quietly.

"Oh, of course we can baby." I tell him. Haymitch and I take Alex, Ivy, and Phoenix to go on the Ferris wheel. The closer to the front of the line we get, the more excited Phoenix gets. It's nice to see my usually calm and content baby boy get excited about something.

We get into the car of the Ferris wheel and buckle ourselves in. As the Ferris wheel begins to move upward, the kids all react differently. Phoenix looks down at the world below him, taking in all the beautiful scenes around him. Ivy quietly look around, looking more at the sky than at the ground, studying the new view she now has. Alex snuggles into Haymitch's side, probably afraid of the height we are at. Once we are back to the ground, Alex jumps out of the car as fast as a cheetah.

"I guess he didn't like that one too much," I tell Haymitch who just nods his agreement.

A half hour after lunch, we are all in the water having a blast. I am surprised that Johanna has gotten over her fear of water that was once so great. It makes me glad that we can say that the evil days of the Hunger Games no longer has a firm hold on our lives. Haymitch, Gale, and Peeta swim out deeper with Alex, Ivy, and Phoenix. Johanna and Effie sit in a shallower area with Lilac and Ash. Nash and I swim somewhere in the middle with Liam and Finn. Everyone is having a wonderful time, splashing and swimming in the ocean.

Once the sun begins dipping below the horizon, we get the kids out of the water and dry them off. We have them put their clothes on over their bathing suits and we head back to the boardwalk to find some dinner.

The kids get hotdogs from the vendor and the adults get various boardwalk foods such as pizza and corndogs. Once the kids have finished their dinner, we get them a few cones of cotton candy to share. Haymitch manages to tease Peeta when Ivy and Alex share a cone of cotton candy.

By the time we get the kids strapped into the car, they are half asleep. It has been a very long, very fun day. I loved watching my kids and their family bond over a fun filled day at the beach. Just ten minutes into the drive home, the kids have fallen asleep in the back seat, along with Johanna, Nash, and Gale. Peeta's eyes are trained on the road in front of him. Today has been just a great day.

* * *

><p><strong>Guys, I love this family so much! I mean really, I just love them all! I hope you love them all as much as I love them! Thanks for reading and please review!<br>**


	75. Chapter 75

**Everyone, this is the l****ast chapter of No One Said It Would Be Easy! I can't believe its only been four months since I started it! I just feel like it's been years! I sincerely hope that you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! I can't tell you how thankful I am to all of you for reading and reviewing! It means the world to me! Without further ado, Read on! Disclaimer: The Hunger Games was written by Suzanne Collins, not me. **

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seventy-Five<span>

Katniss' POV

_*One Month Later*_

It's been five years since Peeta and I boarded the rollercoaster that is parenthood. Today was Phoenix Aiden Mellark and Ivy Sky Mellark's fifth birthday. Today, Peeta and I had arranged for a hopefully very memorable party.

We had decided that a petting zoo would be very fun for all the kids. So, we arranged with a local farmer to bring a few of his animals. I knew that both Phoenix and Ivy would just love the chance to play with all the animals. Ivy is going to love it because she just loves learning about and experiencing new things. Phoenix, I think, will love it because he'll get to see some animals he's never seen before. All in all, I am hoping it is a very good day for my not-so-much babies.

Phoenix and Ivy are both excited for their party. The petting zoo is sort of surprise, but they are still excited to see their grandma Everdeen and to have cake and open presents. It is amazing how much excitement there is in our house right now.

Peeta is currently in the kitchen baking the birthday cake. He and Haymitch were going to bond over the grill later as they grill the hotdogs and hamburgers that would be on the menu for today's party.

I was bustling around; making sure the house was as clean as I could get it before the party started. Really, since the party was outside, it wasn't majorly important that the house was clean but I felt like it should be as clean as I could get. I mean, you can only keep the house so clean when you have four kids running around it.

My mom arrives about an hour before the party is to start. The kids all rush to her and she gives them each a million hugs and kisses. It does suck that she is so far away and can't be here all the time but she tries to visit as often as she can. And she always makes sure she's here for special occasions such as this.

An hour later, the party is starting. The petting zoo is all set up and Phoenix and Ivy absolutely love it! The local farmer brought over some alpacas, goats (which reminded me of Lady, which in turn, reminded me of Prim.), horses, pigs, and sheep. Ivy just goes nuts and starts petting all the animals and asking the farmer all sorts of questions. Phoenix more calmly and cautiously pets the alpaca. Peeta, of course, makes sure to get a whole bunch of pictures.

Haymitch, Effie, and Alex are the first guests to arrive. Ivy drags Alex over to the petting zoo. They will most likely remain inseparable for the rest of the day. The Hemlocks and the Hawthornes arrive at the same time. All the kids are magnetized to the petting zoo. Haymitch seems to really be enjoying the animals, too. Well, he technically just a really big kid.

As I sit at a picnic table with my husband, I can't help but going through all the tribulations of starting a family in my head. First off, there was the miscarriage that Peeta and I went through. That was before I knew I even wanted children. I had just gotten used to the idea of having a baby when the miscarriage happened. Then, I spent those next few weeks in a depression.

Then, I was finally ready to have a baby again. And, well, we ended up with two babies. Things definitely got interesting after we had Phoenix and Ivy. From sleepless nights to first steps and first words, every moment was just as magical as the next.

Then, just over two years later, the totally unexpected thing happened: I got pregnant . . . with another set of twins. The pregnancy had been rougher than the last. I had high blood pressure the whole time and that put me and my babies at risk. At seven months into my pregnancy, I had a placental abruption and needed to have a Caesarian section to get the babies out. After all that was over, the doctor had to do a full hysterectomy to stop the bleeding.

Our house was just crazy after we brought Lilac and Finnick home. Having four children under the age of three was . . . very, very hectic. And I wouldn't trade a single day of it, not for anything in the world.

I don't think any else has children as different as Peeta and I. Each of our children had a completely different personality. Ivy was always trying to learn something new. And she was always getting into trouble. When she a baby, she would try to climb on anything and everything she could find. Peeta was always so worried about her. The first day she went on the monkey bars I actually had to keep him from running over there to get her down. Honestly, if she fell it would just be a learning experience.

Phoenix is just the little artist of the family. It took him about two years before he started showing a real interest in art but once it came out he was really into it. Honestly, he would rather sit at the kitchen table and draw or color than go outside with his sister. He was also just a very sweet, kind little boy. He was always willing to help me clean or pick things up.

Lilac was the little princess of the family. She had her daddy completely wrapped around her little finger. I can't wait to see what she tries to get away with a few years from now. She also loved to dance and sing. She always wanted to have the radio on or she always wanted me to sing with her. And whenever there was music, she was movin' and grovin'. I couldn't imagine having better children as my own.

I was very glad that they had family and other kids their own age so close by. Alex was just the sweetest little boy anyone could meet. He's always so polite and his shyness just makes him even cuter. His and Ivy's friendship was very cute, too.

Ash and Liam were great little boys, too. I honestly thought that Johanna's prediction of a love triangle between them and Lilac did have a pretty good chance of coming true. Oh, Peeta will not like it when that happens.

"Presents time," Peeta's announcement pulls me out of reminiscent. All the kids come rushing over to the picnic table where all the presents are sitting. First, Phoenix and Ivy open the presents from their grandma Everdeen. They both receive a pair of roller blades. I can tell by Peeta's facial expression that he will not be very keen on letting Phoenix and Ivy ever use them.

From the Hemlock family, Phoenix gets a few paint-by-number pictures. Ivy gets a big book that tells about all kinds of animals and insects; a perfect gift for a curious little mind like hers. They get a joint gift from Gale and Liam, a multipurpose game table that has air hockey, ping pong, pool, etc.

Annie and Kyle do another joint gift and this one is slightly more for the whole family then for just Phoenix and Ivy. Their present is a blow up pool for the kids to swim in. It is a really long drive to the beach. Effie, Haymitch, and Alex get Phoenix a complete art set that has colored pencils, crayons, paints, and even some clay. Ivy receives a few science experiment kits.

Once the kids are all done chatting excitedly about their presents, it is time for cake. Peeta brings out the cake and we all stand up so that Peeta can record the singing.

"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Phoenix and Ivy, Happy Birthday to you," We all sing.

"Let's eat cake!" Peeta exclaims as we turn back to the cake. The scene in front of us makes us all laugh out loud. Bacon, on the pigs from the petting zoo, is standing on the picnic table in front of the cake with chocolate cake and frosting on his jowls and there is a huge dent in the middle of the birthday cake. I look over to Peeta as the kids all start getting upset because the cake has been devoured by a big, pink porker.

"Well, no one said it would be easy." Peeta chuckles as he wraps his arm around my shoulders.

_**FIN**_

* * *

><p><strong>I just love that ending! I hope, for you all, that it was a sufficient ending. I swear, I'm still not sure if I'm going to laugh or cry after typing all this. Again, because I can't say it enough, thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting, alerting, etc. etc. I never thought my writing would receive such a positive reaction. The sequel will be up today so get ready! It's called "It Must Run in the Family" so keep your eyes out for it. Thank you all again. I love you all so much. ~ The Doc. <strong>


End file.
